The Human Advantage Stronger Brains in the Age of AI 2026

Measure brain capital As brain capital gains traction globally, measurement should lead the way. There is no widely adopted framework to define success, benchmark progress or compare outcomes. The creation of metrics, principles and frameworks can support resource alignment, make the case for sustained investment and unlock catalytic funding. For example, in 2007 the European Investment Bank issued the world’s first green use of proceeds bonds, the Climate Awareness Bond. This has now grown into more than $1 trillion in total issued value and has informed the creation of third-party standards.96,97 In other areas, the creation of the Human Capital Index and associated accounting frameworks quantified the contribution of health and education to workforce productivity, helping countries understand the cost of inaction.98 Existing tools, such as the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA)’s Brain Capital Dashboard, lay the groundwork for what is possible.992 Tool spotlight: Global Brain Capital Dashboard BOX 4 The Brain Capital Dashboard (BCD) shows the “brain capital index” for more than 100 countries. Each country’s score is broken down into component metrics that enable users to assess strengths and vulnerabilities across domains. Created by the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association and the Brain Capital Alliance,100 this interactive dashboard was developed by integrating open data sources from international agencies such as the WHO, the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The tool includes component metrics across four areas – brain health, brain skills, brain-friendly environments and policy and innovation enablers – and enables analysis of cross-country variations in indicators, policy strengths and gaps relevant to brain capital development, and progress over time. Some example indicators include suicide rates, participation rate in organized learning, access to social services, research investment and health system readiness. The BCD builds on the Institute for Health Metric and Evaluation (IHME)’s Brain Health pillar data. The IHME also provides additional country-level health detail, including COVID-19 era data and a broader set of disorders and metrics (for example, DALYs).101 Building on these efforts, broader adoption, coordination and refinement will be essential. For example, the field could define the domain and measurements for a brain capital “satellite account” to provide detail on brain capital that GDP may underrepresent. Like satellites orbiting Earth, satellite accounts typically orbit a country’s core economic statistics (such as GDP and industry data) but are separate from the core accounts.102 This could feed into national statistical systems to help estimate costs of inaction as well as positive impact of brain capital investments. Making brain capital measurable enables leaders to assess what is working, reallocate towards high- impact efforts and communicate value to investors, funders and the public. Accelerate R&D to support the development of brain capital R&D is a powerful tool for advancing brain capital. Today, most R&D funding related to the brain focuses on late-stage treatment, leaving prevention, early detection and the science of developing positive brain skills underexplored.103 A more strategic approach could guide investment in brain capital across the highest impact areas within each stage of the R&D pipeline. Centring brain capital as an interdisciplinary area of study is a necessary first step to integrating strategically across relevant R&D pipelines. Brain capital R&D efforts can be anchored across four stages of progress: foundational research; translation and adaptation; adoption and implementation; and scaling. Figure 4 highlights key questions to address at each stage of the R&D process and identifies specific actions that can accelerate progress.3 The Human Advantage: Stronger Brains in the Age of AI 16