Brain startup Synchron says AI will be key to devices

Brain-computer startup Synchron Inc. is using OpenAI’s latest AI models to help paralyzed patients communicate through an implant — a still-early combination of hardware and AI that Synchron’s CEO said could ultimately change patients’ lives.

New York-based Synchron, a competitor to Elon Musk’s brain startup Neuralink Corp., implants its device into the brain through a vein in the neck. Once activated, the implant can communicate the patient’s desired actions to a tablet computer. The device, called Stentrode, can also help patients with tasks such as writing emails or responding to text messages.