The Download: the first brain implant power user and South Korea’s AI obsession

**TL;DR:** The Download: the first brain implant power user and South Korea’s AI obsession

---

This is today’s edition of The Download , our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. This man with ALS is the first “power user” of a brain implant that lets him speak Casey Harrell has had a set of electrodes embedded in his brain for almost three years. Harrell, who has ALS and is paralyzed, first used his brain-computer interface (BCI) to “speak” in 2023. Since then, he’s clocked thousands of hours of use.

Harrell can now use the device largely independently. His team has added new features to it, and he also uses it to surf the web and perform his job. “Living with a disease like ALS, you are supposed to have diminished dreams. I do not,” Harrell told MIT Technology Review . ” They now plan to add further enhancements to the device. Dive into the groundbreaking impact of Casey Harrell’s BCI . —Jessica Hamzelou Why do South Koreans love AI so much?

While a public backlash against AI brews across the US, South Koreans are optimistic. Only 16% say they are more concerned than excited about AI—the lowest of the 25 countries surveyed by the

Source: MIT Tech Review

AI coverage on iByte separates shipped capability from roadmap talk. The practical lens is cost, access, safety, and what changes for builders and everyday users.

The immediate headline is only the entry point. The more useful question is who gains leverage, who faces new risk, and whether the change is durable or experimental.

Track whether the story affects total cost of ownership: subscriptions, compatibility, downtime risk, or support burden.

1) If money or security is involved, wait for primary sources. 2) Test changes on a small scale before committing. 3) Note what would falsify your current assumptions.

**Q: Is everything in this article confirmed?** A: The summary reflects publicly reported information at publication time. Analysis sections are clearly framed as context, not new reporting.

**Q: Will iByte update this page?** A: Yes. As primary sources publish more detail, this article can be refreshed without changing the URL.

Last updated: June 16, 2026.

Additional context: early-cycle stories often look bigger in headlines than in day-to-day impact. The useful move is to identify the smallest set of facts that would change your decision, then wait for those facts to land.