Will "mind reading" become a reality soon? Artificial intelligence is conquering the most complex and challenging research field. Artificial intelligence | technology | reality

You can type based on your thoughts, and even get what you think... In the era of artificial intelligence, "mind reading" may become a reality. At the 2023 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, the theme forum on "Brain Computer Intelligence and Digital Life" brought together experts and scholars in the fields of medical and artificial intelligence.

Brain science is currently one of the most complex and challenging research fields for humans, and "mind reading" is essentially "brain reading". With the integration and development of biotechnology and information technology, through devices and technologies such as brain computer interfaces and biochips, the thoughts and ideas in the human brain can be mapped one by one in the digital world, and even affect reality. A digital technology revolution is happening.

Creating "Digital Life"

After Chen Tianqiao, the former Internet tycoon and founder of Shanda Network, "retired", he has focused on brain science research in recent years. Chen Tianqiao said, "The digital life depicted in science fiction novels is fascinating. I believe that only AI+neuroscience can create a true and soulful digital life."

At the forum, the Tianqiao Brain Science Research Institute founded by him announced that it will invest approximately 1 billion yuan in the field of neuroscience to build an upgraded cutting-edge laboratory, Mind X, and recruit two top scientists from the global AI and neuroscience communities as directors, sharing a research funding of 100 million US dollars.

According to the concept of Mind X Laboratory, the two directors will come from the neuroscience and AI science communities respectively, leading a team to work closely together. On the one hand, they will combine in-depth research on the human brain in areas such as learning, memory, cognition, and emotion to promote the further development of artificial intelligence; On the other hand, utilizing next-generation AI technology to uncover the essence of the brain.

Tesla CEO Musk will also be the next to test the waters. He founded a company called "Neuroconnectivity" that studies the connection between computers and the human brain. Recently, it has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for its experimental application for implanting chips into the human brain, which is considered an important advancement in brain computer connectivity technology.

Big shots are entering the game one after another, and on the other hand, achievements are constantly being produced. Brain computer interface company Brain Tiger Technology has released multiple scientific research achievements on the forum. Two year old Labrador dog "Neo" and 7-year-old rhesus monkey "Wukong", animal employees of Brain Tiger Technology, respectively, completed electrode implantation surgery for brain computer interfaces. After implanting 256 channel cortical electrodes, "Neo" successfully achieved motion decoding, and "Wukong" successfully achieved experimental effects of playing games through thoughts.

Two animal experiments have shown that Naohu Technology has currently achieved 100% self-developed brain computer interface systems, including electrode preparation, signal acquisition, and neural decoding. The use of real-time decoding data allows monkeys to continue playing games through mental control, achieving a "brain control" effect, laying a solid foundation for future brain control experiments and also the first step towards clinical trials.

clinical practice

Brain computer interface technology is moving from science fiction to reality. At the forum, Zhao Min, the director of the Shanghai Mental Health Center, believed that the close integration of artificial intelligence technology and medical services has demonstrated significant application value in clinical diagnosis and disease management.

Zhao Min stated that brain computer intelligence has broad application prospects in the fields of mental and mental health. Currently, brain computer interface technology has also been put into practice in the clinical treatment of depression, senile dementia, Parkinson's disease, addiction, and other conditions. "Brain computer intelligence still has a long way to go, but we have seen the dawn."

Zhao Min calls for more scientists to focus on mental health and engage in interdisciplinary cooperation in the future. "With the improvement of artificial intelligence technology, brain computer intelligence can take on some of the psychological intervention work, which will be epoch-making."

Mao Ying, the director of Huashan Hospital, believes that neuroscience is a major issue facing humanity in the 21st century. "We focus on neuroscience research and use modern intelligent surgical methods such as VR glasses and brain nerve localization to treat diseases while minimizing brain damage."

Mao Ying introduced that brain computer interface is a brand new bridge established between our brain and the external environment. As an innovative neural technology, brain computer interface has brought convenience to doctors and hope to patients. Its development trend is from appearance to mechanism, from invasive to non-invasive, from single discipline to multidisciplinary integration, and will also lay the foundation for benefiting more people in the future. "Brain computer interface is an important core technology for artificial intelligence to move towards deep intelligence, and our exploration of the human brain has no boundaries."

Promote industrial development

The Action Plan for Shanghai to Create a New High in Future Industry and Develop and Strengthen Future Industry Clusters proposes that Shanghai should layout future industries and create future industry clusters.

In terms of brain computer interfaces, the above plan proposes to accelerate breakthroughs in non-invasive brain computer interface technology, brain computer fusion technology, brain like chip technology, and brain computing neural models. Strengthen basic research in areas such as brain engineering, neuroinformatics, and artificial neural networks, and promote innovation in research and development of brain like chips, brain like micro nano optoelectronic devices, brain like computers, neural interfaces, and intelligent prostheses. Explore the application of brain computer interface technology in medical rehabilitation fields such as limb movement disorders, chronic consciousness disorders, and mental illnesses.

Liu Ping, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, stated that in the next step, Shanghai will focus on empowering the development of biotechnology with artificial intelligence, and further promote the development of high-end industries such as brain computer interfaces and biochips.

"The first is to strengthen the technology chain, focusing on key areas such as high-end chips, key components, materials, core algorithms, privacy and security, and increasing special support. The second is to build a big data chain, further collaborating with public departments represented by hospitals, improving departmental division of labor and benefit sharing mechanisms, and helping enterprises legally and efficiently obtain and use training data. The third is to improve the talent chain. The brain computer field has typical integrated industrial characteristics, and requires joint efforts from all parties to cultivate composite talents that meet industry needs, improve the quality of talent supply, and jointly shape high-quality composite talents." Liu Ping said.