Reconciling global collaboration and data sovereignty in neuroscience

Abstract

As artificial intelligence (AI) elevates the economic and strategic value of data, governments are intensifying efforts to regulate the collection, use and cross-border transfer of personal information. Data are increasingly treated as national assets, subject to legal, economic and geopolitical controls. These shifts are reshaping scientific research, particularly in neuroscience and brain health, where progress depends on access to large, diverse and internationally distributed datasets. In parallel, advances in neuroimaging, neurotechnology and computational modeling are enabling population-scale neuroscience and the generation of AI-ready brain datasets. These developments further increase the strategic importance of neural data, amplifying both their scientific value and their governance complexity. The convergence of these trends exposes a fundamental tension between the need for an open science culture and data sovereignty. Without coordinated responses, these dynamics risk limiting representation, slowing innovation and reinforcing global inequities in brain health research. Here we argue that neuroscience requires an international data governance coordinating body capable of aligning research and regulatory priorities. In addition to outlining the distinct challenges posed by neural data, we propose strategies to support secure, equitable and sustainable global collaboration, as well as practical governance instruments to enable coordinated implementation across jurisdictions. Tension exists between the need for an open science culture and data sovereignty in global brain research. Ray et al. propose practical mechanisms for secure and equitable international collaboration.