Neuroscientists at the University of Texas in Austin have developed a method to translate brain activity into words using artificial intelligence technology.
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The breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize communication for people who have lost the ability to speak.
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The researchers used OpenAI's language model, GPT-1, to analyze brain activity and predict the words a person was hearing or watching.
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The technology could assist individuals with conditions like "locked-in" syndrome or those who have suffered strokes and cannot speak.
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The AI model was trained on individual brains for many hours, requiring consent and cooperation from the subjects.
Brain scans need to be conducted in an fMRI machine for the technology to work.
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1Privacy concerns surrounding mental privacy and the protection of brain data have been raised.
The researchers emphasize that the technology cannot read minds or extract private thoughts.
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The current limitations of the technology may provide a sense of relief, but its potential advancements raise questions about its future applications.
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OpenAI's CEO and researchers stress the importance of implementing regulations and safeguards to address concerns and protect mental privacy.