Neurosurgeons at London’s National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery have carried out what health officials describe as the first successful AI-assisted brain tumour removal operation. The system analysed live camera footage to help the team identify delicate nerves and blood vessels, while surgeons retained full control; the case matters because minor errors in this area can cause blindness, stroke or death.

The operation took place in May on 48-year-old Rhys Hibbert, whose 11mm pituitary tumour had caused worsening hormone problems and impaired vision since his 2024 diagnosis. The AI, developed using hundreds of surgical videos and funded through an NIHR clinical trial, colour-coded important anatomy during surgery; Hibbert recovered his sight, walked independently within a week and has returned to work.