The technology that aims to read your mind and probe your memories is here
In recent years, we have seen neurotechnologies move from research laboratories to real-world use. Schools have used some devices to monitor children’s brain activity to know when they are paying attention. Police forces are using others to determine whether someone is guilty of a crime. And employers use them to keep workers awake and productive.
These technologies hold the remarkable promise of giving us a whole new view of our own minds. But our brain data is precious, and letting it fall into the wrong hands could be dangerous. Jessica Hamzelou, our senior biotech reporter, had a fascinating call with Nita Farahany, a futurist and legal ethicist at Duke University, who has written a book arguing for new rules to protect our cognitive freedom. Read the whole story.
Jessica’s story comes from Checkup, her weekly newsletter that gives you the inside track on all things biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday.
Required readings
I’ve combed the internet to find you the funniest/important/scary and fascinating stories about technology.
1 Baidu’s Ernie chatbot isn’t very impressive
China’s heavy internet censorship could be part of the reason. (NYT$)
+ The company’s stock plummeted after its lackluster revelation. (The Guardian)
+ Why big language models start to behave in strange and unpredictable ways. (Regarding)
+ The battle for search powered by ChatGPT is bigger than Microsoft or Google. (MIT Technology Review)
