Meta, in collaboration with international researchers, has made significant strides in AI research that could revolutionize our interaction with technology.

The team, including experts from Meta’s Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR) lab and the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, has developed AI models capable of interpreting brain activity to recreate typed sentences.

This breakthrough was achieved through non-invasive brain recording techniques like magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG).

In a recent study conducted in Paris and San Sebastian, Spain, 35 healthy volunteers participated by typing sentences while their brain signals were recorded.

The innovative three-part AI system, consisting of an image encoder, a brain encoder, and an image decoder, successfully decoded the typing activity.

Impressively, the model could interpret up to 80% of the characters typed, which is a significant improvement over existing EEG technologies.

This research could lead to advanced brain-computer interfaces that offer new communication possibilities for those unable to speak.

However, the technology faces challenges, such as the need for a magnetically shielded environment due to the sensitivity of MEG scanners to the Earth’s magnetic field.

The second part of the research pinpointed when and how the brain converts thoughts into the physical typing of words.

It discovered that our brains create a series of representations from abstract concepts to specific actions, using a dynamic neural code to maintain this sequence over time.

Meta aims to refine these techniques to enhance the accuracy and practicality of non-invasive brain imaging, making it more accessible and applicable in everyday settings.

The potential applications of such technology are vast, extending into healthcare, education, and beyond, as we edge closer to AI systems that can mimic human learning and reasoning processes.