Big Tech Wants to Harvest Your Thoughts

Big tech companies are racing to develop brain monitoring technologies that could soon be found in homes and workplaces. Companies like Apple, Meta, and Snap are working on products that can interpret brain activity. Experts warn that as these systems become more advanced, neural data could become a major privacy concern. Researchers are advocating for "neurorights" to protect mental privacy, identity, and personal agency.

Previously, fMRI scans were used to identify various emotions and thoughts by analyzing brain activity. Recently, researchers have made significant progress in decoding sounds, words, phrases, and even language. In 2023, a woman paralyzed for 18 years regained the ability to speak after receiving a grid of 253 electrodes on her brain that translated her neural signals into speech.

This breakthrough, achieved by a research team at the University of California, led by neurosurgeon Edward Chang, involved combining brain-computer interface technology with an animated avatar that spoke the patient's thoughts in her own voice, capturing her facial expressions. While invasive procedures are still rare, noninvasive wearable brain scanners are becoming more accessible, potentially entering the global consumer market.