According to Cointelegraph, Meta AI has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) system that combines a non-invasive brain scanning method called magnetoencephalography (MEG) with AI to decode imagery from human brain waves. The system can be deployed in real time to reconstruct images perceived and processed by the brain at each instant.

A demonstration of the model's real-time capabilities was showcased on X, formerly Twitter, by the AI at Meta account. The experimental AI system requires pre-training on an individual's brainwaves, interpreting specific brain waves as specific images. There is no indication that the system could produce imagery for thoughts unrelated to pictures the model was trained on.

Meta AI acknowledges that this is early work and further progress is expected. The research is part of the company's ongoing initiative to unravel the mysteries of the brain. While there is no current reason to believe the system could invade someone's privacy, it could potentially provide a quality of life upgrade for some individuals. The Meta AI team hopes that one day it may provide a stepping stone toward non-invasive brain-computer interfaces in a clinical setting that could help people who have lost their ability to speak.