Introduction
Mind-reading machines are both amazing and disturbing. Even for anything good, it just seems very, very (very 100x) intrusive. These technologies allow direct access to your most treasured memories, moments, and everything else in your head, I mean it’s already pretty privacy concerning. For recommendations of anything, it doesn’t seem worth it, it’s already very irritating when our passwords and usernames get leaked but now if your emotional data gets leaked in any way, people are literally done for (like done for). People will know WHAT YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT. All your secrets, all your envy, jealousy, everything good or bad, will be out.
Can Humanity Ever Make This Type of Tech?
We are pretty close to getting this type of technology. As you can guess, we’re with Elon (pretty cool guy) again. He founded a neurotech company that literally develops devices to be implanted in your brain. It would basically record brain activity and allow a computer to translate that person’s thoughts into action ("Electronic Telekinesis", is what I call it).
But here we’re going to talk about the low stuff, just search recommendations. One such device could accomplish this in many ways. People use browsers very frequently these days. When we come across the fact that mind reading can ease this process, I personally think we can consider it, keeping the risks in mind. If we want a certain piece of information but can’t seem to find it, we tend to spend a lot of time on it. If AI could pinpoint the information and produce it on our laptop browsers or anywhere, we could save a lot of time. There are risks, as I said before, and whether to take the risks or not is a very hard choice to make. This decision should be purely based on the candidate’s interest.
Wireless Mind Reading?
If people create a wireless device that can read minds (it’s not possible since to read brain activity, electrodes need to have direct contact with the brain), it is very risky. First of all, a person most likely wouldn’t even know the device is reading his/her mind, and secondly, people who have full control over these devices can literally dominate the world. Yeah, and bad people WILL.
People should have the choice whether this type of A.I. should be developed or should be cancelled, because ultimately, privacy tops everything. A person should have their own confined space where he/she is allowed to think, allowed to be themselves and dream. And if human controlled A.I. is going to barge into this confined space, people have the right to protest.
Technology developing seems to be cool and innovative but scary at the same time, at this point. Reading thoughts with great precision is very complicated and we are no close as the brain is a structure extremely complicated that for A.I to read them it’s pretty hard to achieve. This is a relief for the people who are horrified of the thought, A.I barging into their brains, at least for now.
Pro’s & Con’s
If devices are reading minds for easier searching, people thinking about self-harm or facing any domestic violence can be almost immediately brought to light, helping the victim. For example, if you go search ways to commit suicide on google the first thing that comes up is, a pop up saying, ‘You’re not alone’ and shows helpline numbers. This technology could have greatly prevented the recent horrible shooting in Robb Elementary School in the U.S.A.
If this type of technology manages to increase its potential to mind CONTROL, it can cure psychiatric disorders which is a great concern these days due to increasing bullying and increasing cyber threats. It can also help in rehabs; it is studied that most smokers or drug abusers are mentally attached to the substances and can be cured from this addiction with the help of these advanced technologies.
Now it is seen that the moral pros of this technology are greatly useful but due to these few unethical hackers to whom our data might be compromised, the whole idea might get scraped out.
Conclusion
The developers and companies should be clear and open regarding data usage, data safekeeping, they should protect data with high layers of multi securities and firewalls, and like our very own browser history, they should be given the option to clear any type of data within a certain time making it no longer restorable.
Given these circumstances, taking, and developing these types of technologies can improve the ease of living, can potentially reduce any type of crimes, and change medicine. But finally, its ultimately homo-sapiens choice whether to implement it or not.