Brain hacking: Tapping into the secrets of the human mind

IMAGE CREDIT:
Image credit
iStock

Brain hacking: Tapping into the secrets of the human mind

Brain hacking: Tapping into the secrets of the human mind

Subheading text
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes better at understanding human actions and reasoning, machines might finally hack the complex human brain.
    • Author:
    • Author name
      Quantumrun Foresight
    • October 6, 2022

    Big Data has changed how industries work, allowing companies and organizations to develop more precise strategies. However, imagine if data was collected directly from the human brain through interfaces and algorithms. With such innovations, human brain hacking might be around the corner.

    Brain hacking context

    At the 2020 World Economic Forum in Switzerland, historian Yuval Noah Harari predicted a future in which governments and businesses will be able to collect enough information about global citizens that they’ll be able to anticipate and even influence people’s decisions. This idea is known as “brain hacking.” Harari cited an imaginary scenario where governments would have every single piece of information about individuals from anywhere in the world, including their medical and personal histories. He then asks if a country is still considered independent or democratic if it’s using data to “colonize” populations. 

    Countries have different ways of using intelligence to hack people’s minds. In China, data is predominantly used for state surveillance. Aside from employing facial recognition scanners in public transport and services, the country’s more controversial surveillance tech usage has been applied to monitoring minorities like the Uyghur population. Meanwhile, intelligence and data gathering in the US is used for surveillance capitalism, particularly among tech giants that want to keep people engaged in products and services. As people spend more time interacting with their smartphones and computers, machine learning (ML) algorithms are fed more training data to inform them of how people react to particular images or information. In addition, analysts are noticing the increasing partnership with Silicon Valley and the US government to develop surveillance tech using Big Data.

    Disruptive impact

    Two developing trends shaping potential brain hacking are affective computing and brain-computer interface (BCI). Affective computing is a term by computer scientist Rosalind Picard to refer to the research and building of systems that utilize human emotions. This area is essential for marketing and advertisement, which use emotions to persuade people to consume things. However, research into affective computing goes beyond marketing and surveillance technology. In particular, facial recognition has become common and no longer as subtle as it used to be. While initially used to identify or verify the identity of individuals, the technology has now evolved into analyzing every small change in facial expressions to detect emotion and corresponding potential action. Likewise, software algorithms (e.g., Netflix and Spotify) are trained to curate playlists based on perceived user moods and emotions.

    Meanwhile, BCI is another technology that can lead to brain hacking. In particular, Elon Musk’s Neuralink is developing an interface that can connect brainwaves with computers and other devices. The firm was founded in 2017 and is researching a tiny probe comprising more than 3,000 electrodes attached to flexible threads thinner than a human hair. This gadget can monitor the activity of 1,000 brain neurons at one time. The company says that the technology may help people with disabilities or neurological conditions to control devices remotely. However, Musk said that the long-term goal is to enable “superhuman cognition,” which will supposedly ensure that AI doesn’t become more intelligent than humans. While the technology may have the potential to tap into the incredible power of the human brain, it can also lead to direct manipulation of brain cells and signals. 

    Implications of brain hacking

    Wider implications of brain hacking may include: 

    • More startups investing in BCI research and development, capitalizing on the growing market of direct brain-to-computer technology for the remote thought control of various machines and software platforms. 
    • Increased incidents of cybercriminals hacking countries’ facial recognition systems and databases, resulting in stolen identities and unauthorized access to systems.
    • Increased investments in affective computing studies; e.g., developing an AI that can mimic human empathy to create better virtual assistants and chatbots.
    • More companies using emotion-based algorithms to forecast customers’ moods and potential to buy a specific product or service. Such research would also find utility in political planning initiatives to influence localized voting patterns.
    • Increased state surveillance and facial scanning software may lead to algorithm bias, and predictive policing that re-enforce discrimination.

    Questions to comment on

    • How else might brain hacking technologies change how people use or buy products/services?
    • What are the other risks or benefits of brain hacking technologies?

    Insight references

    The following popular and institutional links were referenced for this insight: