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The 2027 agenda

Eight bounded questions open the 2027 neurotechnology agenda. Each comes from a baseline finding, names the initiative that will carry it and the first output due in the 2027 neurotechnology edition.

5 min read0 figures6 tables4 notesNR-XTECH-NEURO-GLOBAL-2026-BASELINE

Contents
  1. ·Edition home
  2. ·Executive summary
  3. 1Neurotechnology is clinical hardware and a new class of personal data
  4. 2Key findings
  5. 3Systems and sectors at baseline
  6. 4Risks and capability
  7. 5Consumer neural data outside medical rules
  8. 6Readings from the other desks
  9. 7The 2027 agenda
    1. 7.1 Questions for the operational series
    2. 7.2 Portfolio proposed for the Q1 2027 alignment
    3. 7.3 The pathway
    4. 7.4 Universe 2027: evidence pack for the neurotechnology candidate mission
    5. 7.5 Handoffs and routing
    6. 7.6 Feeds and signal register
  10. 8Systems in depth
  11. AMethodology
  12. BData appendix
  13. CReferences and record
  14. ·Complete edition, for print

7.1Questions for the operational series

  1. N-01

    Where does neural data from consumer devices sit outside medical-device and privacy rules, and which laws reach inferred data?

    INI-XT20-NDT-01 · neural data map; first output: jurisdiction overlay.

  2. N-02

    What power and heat budgets do implanted interfaces work within, and how do they limit channel counts?

    INI-XT20-PWR-02 · power and heat footprint; first output: budget table by platform.

  3. N-03

    Which materials and fabrication steps are single points of failure for electrodes and implants?

    INI-XT20-MAT-03 · materials and fabrication; first output: dependence map.

  4. N-04

    How can long-term device failure and signal loss be reported on a common basis?

    INI-XT20-DUR-04 · durability on a common basis; first output: failure table.

  5. N-05

    How can trial outcomes and company claims be compared on a common basis?

    INI-XT20-CLM-05 · claims on a common basis; first output: claims table.

  6. N-06

    Which national rules cover neural data, and how do they differ?

    To be admitted in 2027; first output: rule overlay.

  7. N-07

    What clinical workforce exists for implantation, programming and follow-up?

    To be admitted in 2027; first output: scoping note.

  8. N-08

    Which readiness capabilities have been tested in real cases, and which are only planned?

    Readiness capability register; first output: rung evidence for 15 functions.

7.2Portfolio proposed for the Q1 2027 alignment

Five initiatives and one Universe mission candidate are proposed for the 2027 neurotechnology portfolio. They are programme objects: no partner, funder or member is attached to them in this edition.

Table 7.1Objects proposed for the first operational quarter
IDObjectKindQuestionState
INI-XT20-NDT-01Neural data mapInitiativeN-01PROPOSED
INI-XT20-PWR-02Power and heat footprintInitiativeN-02PROPOSED
INI-XT20-MAT-03Materials and fabricationInitiativeN-03PROPOSED
INI-XT20-DUR-04Durability on a common basisInitiativeN-04PROPOSED
INI-XT20-CLM-05Claims on a common basisInitiativeN-05PROPOSED
MSN-XT20-2027-01Consumer neural data Universe missionMissionN-01Candidate

7.3The pathway

The neurotechnology edition reads national readiness chapters, the coupled sector reports on health and cyber systems, and the global edition through one governed evidence graph. At baseline the federation is designed; the global health and cyber editions are drafted. This page states what exists today and what comes next.

  1. 01

    National readiness chapters

    neurotechnology and neural data readiness in each national edition

    IN PREPARATION · national baselines

  2. 02

    Sector couplings

    GS-04 health · GS-13 cyber and digital · XT-10 cryptography

    GS-04 DRAFTED · sector baselines

  3. 03

    Technology system model

    devices, power, materials, workforce, governance

    v0 SPECIFIED · v1 with federation evidence

  4. 04

    Strategic links

    SR-02 lifeline systems · SR-13 strategic technology

    PLANNED · strategic baselines

  5. 05

    Universe

    annual proving environment

    CANDIDATE MISSION · mandate in 2027

  6. 06

    XT-20 report

    this series

    BASELINE DRAFT · 2027 annual edition

  7. 07

    Evidence and correction

    one graph, many projections

    OPEN · first correction cycle in 2027

7.4Universe 2027: evidence pack for the neurotechnology candidate mission

  1. 01

    Mandate

  2. 02

    Core Build · 1 month

  3. 03

    Action · 1 week

  4. 04

    Evidence seal

  5. 05

    Portfolio correction

  6. 06

    Next mandate

Table 7.2Universe 2027: evidence pack for the neurotechnology candidate mission
ItemRecordStateTiming
F1Annual mandate recordPLANNEDafter the Q2 2027 alignment
F2Core Build recordPLANNEDone month before the exercise
F3Exercise evidencePLANNEDduring the Action week
F4Decision packetsPLANNEDexercise state only
F5Proof receiptsPLANNEDscoped to each recorded check
F6After-action reportPLANNEDwithin one quarter
F7Upgrade docketPLANNEDrouted to the Portfolio
F8Portfolio renewalPLANNED2027 global annual edition
F9Public synthesisPLANNEDpublic-safe extracts only

Mission

ID
MSN-XT20-2027-01 · Consumer neural data Universe mission
Role spine
Leadership sponsor · Institutional anchor · Mission lead: drawn from national pathways
Receiving actors
to be identified with the mandate

7.5Handoffs and routing

Where the baseline’s findings go next. A handoff routes a finding for awareness, review or work; it transfers no authority.

Table 7.3Handoffs and routing
FindingRouted toPurposeClass
INF-001 · speech decodingINI-XT20-CLM-05claims on a common basisPUBLIC
INF-002 · accuracy over timeINI-XT20-DUR-04durability on a common basisPUBLIC
DAT-006 · inner speechINI-XT20-NDT-01neural data mapPUBLIC
GOV-007 · state and Chilean lawINI-XT20-NDT-01neural data mapPUBLIC
GOV-009 · MIND Actregional consortiarule overlayPUBLIC
GOV-010 · guidance and clearanceINI-XT20-PWR-02 · key F reviewpower and heat footprintPUBLIC
FIN-011 · funding and enrolmentINI-XT20-MAT-03materials and fabricationPUBLIC
SYS-012 · compound pathwayMSN-XT20-2027-01Universe candidateCONSORTIUM
Table 7.4Routing rules by publication class
ClassWhere it goesWho can see it
PUBLICthe published edition and its evidence bundleanyone
CONSORTIUMgoverned rooms of the federationconsortium members under agreement
CONTROLLEDneed-to-know channelsnamed competent actors only

7.6Feeds and signal register

Table 7.5Feeds watched from 2027
FeedProducerLatencyFeeds into
Preprint servers and journals on interface resultspeer review and preprintscontinuousINF-001
ClinicalTrials.gov entries for implanted interface studiesregistryper updateFIN-011
FDA guidance and clearance announcementsUS FDA and companiesper releaseGOV-010
State and federal neural data billslegislaturesper sessionGOV-009
UNESCO and OECD neurotechnology pagesintergovernmental bodiesper releaseGOV-008
Chinese industrial policy textsministriesper releaseGOV-005
Company announcements and funding reportscompanies and trade pressper eventFIN-011

Escalation routes

  • none · keep monitoring
  • research question
  • project
  • risk object
  • annual publication
  • signal report
Table 7.6Signals at baseline
IDSignalCorroborationSystemsRoute
SIG-XT20-001Inner speech decoded in four participants5CORROBORATEDINF · DATresearch question N-01
SIG-XT20-002UNESCO Recommendation adopted in November 202510CORROBORATEDGOVinitiative N-01
SIG-XT20-003Company statements on participants and clearance1520PARTIALFIN · INFresearch question N-05

Notes

Numbers are the edition’s reference numbers, so a note reads the same in every chapter. The full list, with every source and its licence, is in Annex C. Annex C, references

  1. 5Kunz, E.M. et al., Inner speech in motor cortex and implications for speech neuroprostheses, Cell 188(17), 4658 to 4673, published online 14 August 2025 (reference record read: four participants). Cell Press, Cambridge MA. Observation year 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  2. 10UNESCO (ed.), Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology (page read: adopted November 2025 at the 43rd session of the General Conference; mandate entrusted by 194 Member States in 2023; the page states no neural data provisions). United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Paris. Observation year 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  3. 15Precision Neuroscience (ed.), company release on FDA 510(k) clearance of the Layer 7 Cortical Interface, 17 April 2025 (release read; vendor announcement, weak evidence: up to 30 days of implantation; 37 patients tested). Precision Neuroscience, New York. Observation year 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  4. 20Zeff, M., Elon Musk Neuralink closes a USD 650 million Series E (trade report, 2 June 2025; page read; vendor statement as reported: five people implanted; valuation of about USD 9 billion pre-money from an earlier press report). TechCrunch, San Francisco. Observation year 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.back

Cite this chapter

Valadbaygi, S. (Ed.). (2026). Chapter 7: The 2027 agenda. In Exponential Technology Report 2026: Neurotechnology and Human–Machine Interfaces (Baseline Edition 2026, Report No. NR-XTECH-NEURO-GLOBAL-2026-BASELINE) [Draft under review]. The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI).

Every citation form of the whole report, BibTeX and RIS included, is on the edition home. Cite this report

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