Brain-Chip Wars Heat Up: Paradromics Beats Neuralink to First Human Implant

Move over, Elon—Silicon Valley’s neurotech arms race just got real. Paradromics, a lesser-known Neuralink rival, just planted its flag in the history books with the first-ever human neurochip implantation.

While Musk’s team busies itself with monkey trials and Twitter memes, Paradromics pulled off a clinical sneak attack. No flashy livestreams, no hype—just a quiet milestone that could redefine brain-computer interfaces.

Wall Street’s already salivating over the medical applications (and let’s be honest—the surveillance potential). Because nothing gets VCs harder than merging wetware with SaaS—except maybe finding a way to monetize your actual thoughts.

TLDR;

• Paradromics successfully implants its neurochip in a human for the first time, setting the stage for clinical trials later this year.
• The Connexus BCI captures individual neuron signals, offering more detailed brain data than many existing systems.
• Paradromics joins Neuralink and Synchron in demonstrating real-world BCI potential for communication and device control.
• This successful test adds momentum to the BCI field, which is quickly transitioning from experimental to practical use cases.

In a major milestone for brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, Paradromics has announced the successful implantation of its neurochip in a human patient for the first time.

The procedure, conducted on May 14 at the University of Michigan, was carried out on an epilepsy patient already undergoing neurosurgery. According to Paradromics, the entire process of placing and removing the chip took just 20 minutes and provided valuable insights into the safety and performance of their system.

BCI’s Brain Implantation Race

Paradromics is positioning itself as a serious contender in a field that has drawn widespread attention thanks to headline-grabbing advancements by Neuralink. With its Connexus Brain-Computer Interface, Paradromics aims to help individuals with severe motor disabilities communicate more easily through computers. The company’s founder and CEO, Matt Angle, said the demonstration proved the device’s compatibility with the human brain, further validating prior animal testing which showed exceptional data capture and long-term durability.

The Connexus device is not yet FDA-approved, but under existing research-use allowances, institutions like the University of Michigan can deploy it for studies involving minimal patient risk. Paradromics plans to launch formal clinical trials later this year, pending regulatory clearance.

Notably, what sets Paradromics apart is its emphasis on precision. While many BCI systems monitor brain activity from the surface, Connexus targets individual neurons. Angle compared it to using microphones both inside and outside a stadium: being inside lets you catch specific conversations, while staying outside only captures the general noise. This focus on neural granularity could give Paradromics an edge when it comes to real-time speech and thought decoding.

Advancing Rising Momentum

The broader BCI field is heating up. Neuralink’s own implants have been in the spotlight since early 2024, when its first patient successfully used a brain chip to control a cursor with his thoughts. Later, a second participant not only repeated this feat but also managed to play video games and perform 3D modeling, demonstrating the functional potential of the technology in everyday digital environments.

Meanwhile, Synchron, another major player, captured attention in September 2024 when a 64-year-old man with ALS used a brain implant to operate smart home devices, including answering calls and controlling a television. His implant was even linked to Apple’s Vision Pro headset, showing a rapidly expanding range of possible use cases.

That said, Paradromics’ announcement marks an important shift in the competitive dynamics of the BCI race. No longer is the narrative dominated solely by Neuralink’s dramatic demonstrations. With its first human test now complete, Paradromics is making clear it intends to play a central role in shaping the future of neural technology. The company’s focus on high-fidelity data collection, safety, and medical usefulness puts it in strong position as the field moves toward broader clinical adoption.