The tech trial of the year, Musk v. Altman, was ultimately a fight for control. Elon Musk argued that Sam Altman, with whom he helped found the now-massive company OpenAI, shouldn’t direct the future of AI. Altman’s lawyers, in turn, poked at Musk’s own credibility. A jury came to a verdict on Monday after just two hours of deliberation, dismissing Musk’s claims due to the statute of limitations.
Technology
China’s ultrasound brain tech race heats up
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When you hear “brain-computer interface,” you probably picture surgery, wires and a chip in your head. Now picture something quieter. No implant. No incision. Just sound waves directed at the brain.
That is the approach behind a new wave of ultrasound brain-computer interface companies in China. One of the newest is Gestala, founded in Chengdu with offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong. The company says it is developing technology that can stimulate and eventually study brain activity using focused ultrasound.
Yes, the same basic technology is used in medical imaging. But this time, it targets neural circuits.
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Brain imaging highlights the regions researchers study as companies explore noninvasive ultrasound brain-computer interface technology. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What is an ultrasound brain computer interface?
Most brain-computer interface systems rely on electrodes that detect electrical signals from neurons. Neuralink is the most visible example. It places tiny threads inside the brain to record activity. Ultrasound works differently.
Instead of measuring electrical signals directly, it uses high-frequency sound waves. Depending on intensity and focus, those waves can:
- Create images of internal tissue
- Destroy abnormal tissue such as tumors
- Modulate neural activity without open surgery.
Focused ultrasound treatments are already approved for Parkinson’s disease, uterine fibroids and certain tumors. That clinical history gives companies like Gestala a foundation to build on. However, studying or interpreting brain signals with ultrasound is far more complex than delivering targeted stimulation.
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Unlike implant-based systems such as Neuralink, ultrasound brain computer interface research focuses on stimulating the brain without surgery. (Neuralink)
How Gestala plans to treat chronic pain with focused ultrasound
Gestala’s first product is focused on chronic pain. The company plans to target the anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region linked to the emotional experience of pain. Early pilot studies suggest that stimulating this area can reduce pain intensity for up to a week in some patients. The first-generation device will be a stationary system used in clinics. Patients would visit a hospital for treatment sessions. Later, the company plans to develop a wearable helmet designed for supervised use at home. Over time, Gestala says it wants to expand into depression, other mental health conditions, stroke rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s disease and sleep disorders. That is an ambitious roadmap. Each condition involves different brain networks and clinical hurdles.
Can ultrasound read brain activity without implants?
Like other brain tech startups, Gestala is also exploring whether ultrasound could help interpret brain activity. The long-term concept is straightforward in theory. A device could detect patterns linked to chronic pain or depression, then deliver stimulation to specific regions in response.
Unlike traditional brain implants, which capture electrical signals from limited areas, an ultrasound-based system may have the potential to access broader regions of the brain. That possibility is one reason researchers are paying attention. Still, translating that concept into reliable data is a major engineering challenge.
The global race to build noninvasive brain interfaces
China is not alone in exploring ultrasound brain-computer interface systems. Earlier this month, OpenAI announced a significant investment in Merge Labs, a startup cofounded by Sam Altman along with researchers linked to Forest Neurotech.
Public materials from Merge Labs mention restoring lost abilities, supporting healthier brain states and deepening human connection with advanced AI. That language signals long-term ambitions. Yet experts caution that real-world applications are still years away.
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Researchers use MRI guidance to precisely target the anterior cingulate cortex with focused ultrasound during chronic pain studies. (Gestala)
The technical limits of ultrasound brain interfaces
Ultrasound faces technical limits. First, the skull weakens and distorts sound waves. That makes it harder to obtain precise signals. In research settings, detailed readouts of neural activity have required special implants that allow ultrasound to pass more clearly than bone.
Second, ultrasound measures changes in blood flow. Blood flow shifts more slowly than electrical firing in neurons. That delay may limit applications that require fast, detailed signal decoding, such as real-time speech translation. In short, stimulation is one challenge. Accurate readout is another level entirely.
What this means to you
Right now, this technology is experimental. You are not about to buy a brain helmet at your local electronics store. Still, the direction matters. If noninvasive ultrasound devices can reduce chronic pain or support mental health treatment, more patients may consider therapy without facing brain surgery.
At the same time, devices that analyze brain states introduce new privacy questions. Brain-related data is deeply personal. Regulators, hospitals and companies will need clear rules about how that data is stored, shared and protected. Finally, the link between AI companies and brain interface startups shows how closely digital intelligence and neuroscience are becoming intertwined. That connection could reshape medicine, wellness, and even how we interact with technology.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Brain-computer interfaces used to feel far off and experimental. Now they are a serious focus of global research and investment. China’s push to develop an ultrasound-based brain-computer interface adds momentum to a field already shaped by companies like Neuralink and new ventures backed by OpenAI. Progress is steady but measured. The potential is significant. The technical hurdles are real. What happens next will depend on whether researchers can turn promising lab results into safe, reliable treatments people can actually use.
If sound waves could one day interpret your mental state, who should decide how that information is used? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
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If you just can’t choose between refresh rate and resolution, LG’s next gaming monitor could solve your problem, as the UltraGear 25G590B monitor is the first one announced that will be capable of a native 1000Hz refresh rate at 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. So far, the 1,000Hz models we’ve seen have only been capable of 720p at the most, but this 24.5-inch IPS display does not have that limitation, as the company says it’s ready for esports competitors (whether they’re in an FPS or Excel), who need maximum responsiveness.
LG hasn’t revealed the 25G590B’s price or release date beyond “second half of 2026,” but said it has a “minimalist” stand, an integrated hook for headset storage, and customizable lighting. More information will be available on LG’s website here.
Of course, there are also AI-enabled features, too:
The 25G590B incorporates on-device gaming AI features designed to boost both immersion and usability. AI Scene Optimization adds visual realism and depth by intelligently adjusting picture settings according to game genre, while AI Sound presents a more authentic spatial audio experience along with clearer in-game communications (when using a compatible headset). These AI-driven capabilities complement the monitor’s ultra-fast performance to create the ideal platform for competitive gaming.
Food delivery drones launch in NJ
FOX Business correspondent Madison Alworth reports on drone food delivery services launching in New Jersey on ‘America Reports.’
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Your next Papa Johns order could soon drop from the sky. Just do not expect a large pepperoni pizza to come floating down yet.
Papa Johns has launched a drone delivery test with Wing, the drone company owned by Alphabet. The first flights are happening near Sun Valley Commons in Indian Trail, North Carolina, outside Charlotte. Eligible customers can order through the Wing app and receive a limited menu of Papa Johns Oven Toasted Sandwiches, including Philly Cheesesteak, Chicken Bacon Ranch and Steak & Mushroom.
Even though Little Caesars is already testing drone delivery for full-size pizzas in Texas, Papa Johns is taking a different route: sandwiches first. For now, the company is using a smaller, drone-friendly menu while it works with Wing on aerodynamically designed packaging that could help future pizza orders fly more smoothly.
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UBER EATS TAKES FLIGHT WITH DRONE DELIVERIES
Papa Johns says drone delivery could eventually become part of its app-based ordering experience. (Wing)
Why Papa Johns drones are starting with sandwiches
A sandwich box is compact. A pizza box is wide, flat and fussy. Anyone who has ever carried a pizza home on the passenger seat of their vehicle knows the rule. Keep it level or prepare for a cheese landslide. That same problem gets trickier when a drone is involved. Drones have payload limits. They also need packages that fit their delivery systems and stay stable during flight.
That helps explain why Papa Johns is starting with sandwiches. Wing says the companies are also working on custom, aerodynamic packaging informed by both Papa Johns and Wing. In other words, the sandwich test may be the starting point, while the companies figure out how to package food for future drone delivery. So, for now, the sky is open for toasted sandwiches. The pizza has to wait.
How the Papa Johns drone delivery test works
The test is limited to residents near Sun Valley Commons in Indian Trail, North Carolina. Eligible customers can place orders through the Wing app and choose from a curated menu of Papa Johns Oven Toasted Sandwiches. Charlotte-area residents can check delivery eligibility and sign up for updates through Wing’s delivery page at wing.com/get-delivery
For now, customers order through Wing. However, the longer-term plan is to connect Wing’s drone network directly with Papa Johns’ own app and its proprietary AI-powered food ordering agent, powered by Google Cloud. That could eventually make drone delivery feel less like a separate test and more like another delivery option inside the Papa Johns ordering experience. Wing says the goal goes beyond one restaurant test. This is Wing’s first direct partnership with a national restaurant brand. It also builds on Papa Johns’ existing relationship with Alphabet through Google Cloud. The company sees the partnership as a way to build a broader model for AI-powered restaurant ordering and drone delivery.
“This partnership is a true collaboration, bringing together Wing’s pioneering technology and Papa Johns commitment to innovation,” said Heather Rivera, Chief Business Officer at Wing. “Together, we are defining a new blueprint for how agentic commerce and industry-leading operational design will shape the future of food delivery.”
Papa Johns says the effort is about building the future of hot delivery. That means more than strapping food to a drone. Workers need to prepare orders differently. Restaurants need space for pickup. The packaging has to survive the trip. The technology also has to fit into a busy lunch or dinner rush without slowing the store down. That last part may be the real test. A drone delivery system only works if it helps during the chaos, not after it.
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Papa Johns is testing drone delivery with Wing in Indian Trail, North Carolina, starting with a limited sandwich menu. (Wing)
Why pizza is such a tough drone delivery challenge
Pizza seems perfect for fast delivery. It is hot, familiar and often ordered by people who want food quickly. Yet pizza boxes create several problems for drone companies. A pizza box has a large surface area. That can affect stability. The box also needs to stay flat. A sandwich can tolerate a little movement. A hot pizza with melted cheese and toppings cannot.
That is why other companies have been working on bigger drones and special delivery setups. Flytrex recently announced a partnership with Little Caesars in Wylie, Texas, using its Sky2 drone. The company says the drone can carry up to 8.8 pounds, travel up to four miles and deliver up to two large pizzas with drinks. That shows pizza delivery by drone can happen. It also shows why Papa Johns may be taking a slower path.
Drone delivery is still a local experiment
Drone delivery has been talked about for years, but it still feels rare for many communities. Wing already works with companies such as Walmart and DoorDash, and it has expanded service in several metro areas.
Still, the business has to clear several hurdles. The weather can disrupt flights. Regulations can limit how drones operate. Restaurants have to train staff. Customers also need to live in the right delivery zone. Then there is the money. A drone can look amazing in a promo video. The tougher question is whether each delivery makes financial sense when the system runs every day.
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Papa Johns and Wing are testing drone-friendly packaging that could help future pizza deliveries take flight. (Wing)
What this means to you
If you live near the test area, this could be a fun way to try a faster food delivery option. It may also give you a preview of where takeout is heading. However, drone delivery will probably roll out in small steps. At least at first. Customers need to live in the right delivery zone, order through the right app and choose items the drone system can carry safely.
The bigger shift could come later. If Wing’s system connects directly with the Papa Johns app, customers may eventually see drone delivery as one more option at checkout. That would make the experience feel much more normal than opening a separate drone app just to order lunch. For customers, the biggest benefits could be speed and convenience. A drone can avoid traffic, parking issues and some of the delays that hit traditional delivery during peak hours.
At the same time, there are practical questions. People may wonder about noise, safety, privacy and whether drones belong over our neighborhoods. Those concerns will no doubt grow as more restaurants join in.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Papa Johns flying sandwiches instead of pizza feels a little backwards at first. After all, it is a pizza chain. But once you think about a hot pie bouncing around under a drone, the sandwich-first approach starts to make sense. The company gets to test the tech, customers get a faster delivery option and the pizza stays with the regular delivery crew until the drone setup can handle a hot pie without turning it into a cheesy mess.
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If drone delivery becomes common, would you be excited to get dinner dropped from the sky, or would all those buzzing drones over your neighborhood drive you crazy? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com
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In a strictly legal sense, three weeks of testimony added up to nothing. But the trial offered a more damning broader takeaway: Almost nobody in this saga seems worth trusting. Some of the most powerful people in tech seem temperamentally incapable of dealing with each other honestly. And if that’s true, it raises a bigger question: Why are they in control of a trillion-dollar industry that’s set to upend people’s lives?
OpenAI was, in the testimony of both Musk and Altman, founded to stop powerful AI from being owned and advanced by the wrong people. Testimony and evidence showed its founding team fretting about who would control artificial general intelligence (AGI), a buzzword for AI that broadly equals or surpasses human knowledge and ability. They deeply feared Google DeepMind and its leader, Demis Hassabis. In 2015, Altman said he’d been mulling over whether anything could “stop humanity from developing AI” — and after concluding it was impossible, that he wanted “someone other than google to do it first.”
Fellow cofounders Greg Brockman and Ilya Sutskever so strongly opposed one-person control that they seemed willing to torpedo a lucrative deal that could — in their words — give Musk an “AI dictatorship.” In a part of the same email addressed to Altman, Brockman and Sutskever questioned his motivations, writing, “We haven’t been able to fully trust your judgements throughout this process … Is AGI truly your primary motivation? How does it connect to your political goals?”
These concerns would be quickly borne out. A central focus of Musk v. Altman was “the blip,” a five-day period in November 2023 when OpenAI’s board removed Altman as CEO. Sutskever had spent more than a year architecting his ouster, assembling a 52-page memo alleging “a consistent pattern of lying, undermining his execs, and pitting his execs against one another.” The implications were broader than executive infighting, potentially impacting the public rollout of AI systems. Then-CTO Mira Murati, for instance, testified in court that Altman told her OpenAI’s legal team had okayed skipping a safety review for one of its models — a statement, she said, that turned out to be false.
In closing arguments, Musk attorney Steven Molo hammered home the long list of people who had testified under oath that Altman was, in one way or another, a liar — all of whom Altman had worked with for years. “The defendants absolutely need you to believe Sam Altman,” Molo told the jury. “If you cannot trust him, if you don’t believe him, they cannot win. It’s that simple.”
But during court proceedings, Musk — who now leads competing lab xAI, under his space company SpaceX — didn’t come off any better. Joshua Achiam, now OpenAI’s chief futurist, testified that Musk’s race against Google led him to take an “obviously unsafe and reckless” approach to achieving AGI. When he and others raised concerns, he says, Musk argued that OpenAI’s for-profit makeover created incentives to disregard safety, but his own xAI is for-profit and has, at best, a haphazard approach to safety. And in the name of making sure OpenAI remained open, Musk was obsessive in his need for control over it. In closing arguments, Sarah Eddy, one of OpenAI’s attorneys, told the jury that Musk “wanted dominion over AGI.”
As one X user put it, “if untrustworthyness had mass, putting Musk and Altman too close to one another would collapse the courtroom and all of earth into a black hole.”
OpenAI and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
It’s not just Musk and Altman, either. Trial evidence suggested Murati helped get Altman removed, then switched sides to support his reinstatement while appearing “totally uninterested” in disclosing the role she’d played. Shivon Zilis, a close Musk associate who served on OpenAI’s board, asked Musk if he’d “prefer I stay close and friendly to OpenAI to keep info flowing” during his departure — avoiding revealing that she had two children with him at the time. Brockman’s diary entries played a key role in Musk’s case; at one point, he admitted Musk could “correctly” claim “we weren’t honest with him” if OpenAI made a for-profit shift without his involvement.
Musk v. Altman gave each man an opportunity to sling dirt at the other and, in theory, establish himself as the more scrupulous guardian of AI. But a more obvious takeaway is that several of the AI industry’s household names are at best naive — and, at worst, hypocrites with little regard for the consequences of their actions.
Public sentiment about AI is at an all-time low. In a Pew Research survey from last summer, half of US adults said the “increased use of AI in daily life makes them feel more concerned than excited” — and only 10 percent said they felt more excited than concerned. Many of these concerns are related to job loss, but protests are also surging against mass data center construction across the country. Some resistance has turned potentially violent, with individuals allegedly attempting to attack Altman’s home on two occasions. And many tech CEOs themselves maintain that they have bunkers or other doomsday-prepping plans for if things go horribly wrong.
These companies push public messaging that AI empowers its users. But a 2025 Pew Research study found that nearly 60 percent of US adults feel they have little to no control over how AI is used in their lives. In the US, the prospect of meaningful government regulation — which could at least offer some level of external oversight — remains shaky. And now, it’s clearer than ever how far the AI world’s biggest players will go to maintain control.
Amid the trial’s reams of evidence, one document offers a rare example of Altman and Musk offering to cede some power. In March 2015, Altman emailed Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella with a simple request: Sign a letter that he and Musk were drafting, asking the US government to establish “a new regulatory agency for AI safety” and address “the biggest risk to the continued existence of humanity that most people are ignoring.” Weeks later, Nadella responded to shut down the idea. The “issue of human safety and the control problem will become real issues,” he said. But executives, he insisted, should be calling for “federal funding and encouragement of research,” not oversight. Altman promptly agreed. The letter, he promised, would be changed — leaving the option of regulating the AI industry “if and when.”
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