In a groundbreaking but controversial move, Paradromics, a leading brain-computer interface (BCI) startup, has partnered with Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Neom city-building project. This collaboration aims to push the boundaries of human-computer interaction, with Paradromics focusing on brain implants to control computers and improve patients’ lives. However, the partnership raises significant ethical concerns, especially given Saudi Arabia’s notorious human rights record.
Paradromics, a competitor to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, plans to kick off human clinical trials for its brain implant technology in the US later this year, with plans for the Middle East following shortly thereafter. The company hopes to use BCIs to help patients who have lost the ability to speak, translating brain signals to give them their voice back. While the technology holds significant promise for improving quality of life for individuals with neurological conditions, the partnership with Neom — a futuristic city being built in Saudi Arabia — has left many raising alarms about the potential misuse of BCI tech in a country with a history of severe human rights violations.
The Neom project, a $500 billion mega-city that spans 100 miles along the Red Sea, has faced growing criticism over its treatment of workers and its lack of transparency. Reports have alleged grave abuses, including forced labor and the deaths of thousands of migrant workers involved in its construction. Last year, a documentary revealed that over 21,000 workers — primarily from South Asian countries like Bangladesh, India, and Nepal — died while working on the ambitious project. Saudi authorities have denied these claims, but the global outcry and the departure of Neom CEO Nadhmi al-Nasr following the documentary suggest the issues behind the scenes are far from resolved.
Against this backdrop, Paradromics’ new partnership with Neom raises unsettling questions about the potential uses of BCI technology. While the company’s official goals involve advancing healthcare by restoring speech to the paralyzed, critics worry that the technology could be used for far more sinister purposes, especially in a kingdom with an infamous reputation for surveillance and authoritarianism.
The Saudi monarchy has already been linked to heinous acts, including the murder and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. In light of this, the possibility that Saudi royals may seek to use BCI technology to monitor workers’ productivity or even control their actions is troubling. Western companies have already begun exploring the use of BCIs to track employee productivity, and it’s not a leap to imagine similar surveillance applications in a country where human rights are routinely violated.
Paradromics, however, insists that their technology is intended to help people, not control them. The company’s CEO, Matt Angle, has emphasized the potential benefits for patients who have lost the ability to communicate due to medical conditions. Paradromics is conducting trials on sheep and hopes to launch human trials in late 2030, with the expectation that Neom could follow closely behind.
But the broader implications of this partnership cannot be ignored. Saudi Arabia’s vast wealth, derived from its oil reserves, and its desire to diversify its economy beyond petroleum, have led the nation to invest heavily in futuristic technologies. Neom is a key part of this strategy, aiming to position Saudi Arabia at the forefront of innovation. The integration of advanced BCI tech in this context, however, could have far-reaching consequences, especially in a country known for its repressive regime.
