Neurotic Nerds Turn Brain Waves into Blabbering Babble

Just when you thought the world of tech couldn’t get any more invasive or creepy, a bunch of white-coated, lab-bunnies have found a way to transform brain signals into audible speech. Yes, you heard it right, or more aptly put, they heard YOU right. By caressing the brain with implants (eek!) and then fondling those signals with some flavor-of-the-month artificial intelligence, they’ve managed to predict words that people were thinking of saying, with a staggering 92 to 100% accuracy. GOLD STAR for the computer overlords!

Potential Implications of this Creepy Brain-Snooping Tech

So, what does this mean? Is it time to don your tin foil hat and keep your thoughts to yourself? Probably. If this tech evolves, we might well be on the road to a future of literal mind-reading, further eradicating any sense of privacy you thought you still had. People with certain neurodegenerative conditions who have lost their ability to speak might gain a new avenue for communication, granted, but the rest of us who value our clandestine midnight snack thoughts or fantasies featuring that particular celebrity are, quite frankly, in a heap of trouble.

My “Hot Take” on this Technology

At the risk of sounding like a disgruntled caveman, this technology sounds like the plot of a low-budget sci-fi movie where everything goes horribly wrong. Sure, there’s some potential good in it for those who genuinely need help communicating. But for the rest of us, it’s yet another example of sci-fi getting uncomfortably real and turning into potential espionage gear. The prediction accuracy is indeed impressive, but that’s like complimenting an eagle for having great aim while it’s swooping down to snatch your snack. In short: Congrats, genius scientists. You’ve made the world just a little bit less safe for thought-crime.

Original article:https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230828130347.htm