Scientists have developed a non-invasive method of determining imagined speech, presenting a possible communication outlet for people who cannot talk. The method uses functional magnetic resonance imaging and artificial intelligence algorithms to create an encoded map of how each individual’s brain responds to different words and phrases. Researchers then attempted to decode this new brain activity, generating sentences that got the gist of what the person was thinking, although many of the sentences were inaccurate. Neuroethicists warn that the development of sophisticated, non-invasive technologies like this one represents a threat to mental privacy and call for policymakers to proactively address how mind-reading technologies can and cannot be legally used.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-023-01304-9
