Foundation for Digital Neurosurgery Co-Founders to Present at 2026 Global Brain Economy Summit During UN General Assembly

Drs. Samuel Browd and Daniel Donoho will join global business and healthcare leaders at major summit in New York to discuss brain health, neurosurgical AI, and the role of clinicians in governing new technologies

• Foundation for Digital Neurosurgery (FDN) co-founders Dr. Samuel Browd and Dr. Daniel Donoho will speak at the Global Brain Economy Summit on Sept. 22 in New York City as part of the Science Summit during the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
• Reflecting FDN's mission to advance clinically grounded, and responsibly governed innovation, Browd will join a panel on value-based health care and bold innovation, while Donoho will address the clinical opportunities, ethical considerations, and governance challenges associated with AI in neurosurgery.
• Their participation supports FDN's mission to give neurosurgeons a central role in shaping the standards and governance of the emerging neuroeconomy.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Foundation for Digital Neurosurgery (FDN) announced that co-founders Dr. Samuel Browd and Dr. Daniel Donoho will speak at the 2026 Global Brain Economy Summit on September 22 in New York City. The two practicing neurosurgeons will contribute clinical perspectives to discussions about brain health, artificial intelligence, and economic resilience. Their participation reflects FDN's mission to ensure that neurosurgeons help shape the development, governance, and responsible use of AI and other emerging technologies affecting the nervous system.

In line with the theme "The Human Advantage: Leading the Brain-Positive AI Economy," the Global Brain Economy Summit will bring together policymakers, business leaders, scientists, and practitioners to examine how brain health, cognitive well-being, and human potential can be supported in the age of AI. The event is part of the Science Summit held during the 81st United Nations General Assembly, bringing brain health and the emerging neuroeconomy into global policy and economic discussions.

Browd and Donoho's sessions include:

• Value-Based Healthcare: The Case for Bold Innovation — Browd will join healthcare leaders Susan Armiger, Manisha Parulekar, and Talia Varley for a panel exploring bold approaches to brain health, care delivery, and medical innovation.
• Neurosurgical AI: Opportunities and Challenges — In a solo session, Donoho will discuss how AI and clinical data are changing neurosurgery, as well as the clinical, ethical, and governance responsibilities involved in using these technologies in patient care.

"The challenges we face in brain health are too significant to solve by making small improvements around the edges," said Browd. "We need bold ideas, new models of care, and a willingness to rethink what is possible. Neurosurgeons should help lead that work because we see firsthand where current approaches fall short and where innovation could make a real difference for patients."

"AI gives us an opportunity to learn from the enormous amount of information generated before, during, and after surgery, but the real question is how we put that information to work responsibly," said Donoho. "As these tools become part of neurosurgery, clinicians need to help set the standards so that innovation stays grounded in patient care, clinical evidence, and trust."

FDN brings together neurosurgeons, healthcare institutions, technology developers, ethicists and policymakers to establish clinically grounded standards for digital neurosurgery and the neuroeconomy. Its work focuses on ensuring that advances in AI, robotics, and brain-computer interfaces are informed by clinical evidence, patient needs, and responsible governance.

For more information about the summit, visit: www.unfoundation.org/event/global-brain-economy-summit

About the Foundation for Digital Neurosurgery

The Foundation for Digital Neurosurgery (FDN) is dedicated to transforming isolated neurological insights into a compounding global resource.

FDN serves as the premier convening body for the neuroeconomy, uniting clinicians, institutions, industry, AI and robotics developers, ethicists, and policymakers to shape the standards and governance required to responsibly steward human brain intelligence. The Foundation positions neurosurgeons as central stewards of this work, ensuring that advances in AI, robotics, and brain-computer interfaces develop in step with clinical and ethical understanding of the nervous system.

Rather than allowing vital knowledge to remain trapped within individual procedures, institutions or single-purpose devices, the Foundation ensures that neurological learning securely accumulates over time. By helping to set the standards for how clinical observations become shared intelligence, FDN supports the advancement of medical discovery, human performance, and the emerging neuroeconomy.

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SOURCE Foundation for Digital Neurosurgery