What Happens When AI Can Literally Read Your Mind?

AI engineers found a way to convert naturally occurring brain signals into linguistic patterns, paving the way for widespread mind-reading.

There’s a telling moment in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery with huge implications for the fate of humankind. And no, it’s not the scene where the British spy tries to turn a golfcart around in a super narrow tunnel.

The scene comes just after scientists in the 1990s thaw out the secret agent who’s been cryogenically frozen since the 1960s.

Disoriented, naked, and blinking against the harsh lab lights, Austin can’t stop blurting every thought that floods his mind.

Hearing his own words back, Austin finally exclaims, “I have no internal monologue!”

Audiences laughed knowingly in 1997 because we all understand the power of a filter. Humans are blessed with a brain that (most of the time) blocks us from saying dumb things. Things that might hurt others. Or ourselves.

Here’s another example: it’s Friday night. You’re about to go out with your friend to a club. She turns to you and says, “Do I look good in this skirt?”

Your inner monologue screams: “Absolutely not. You need to lose at least 20 pounds to make that work.”

But you’re not cruel and you sure don’t want to dampen the mood, so you say something like, “Maybe try that other outfit. I like it better.”

This little white lie is what keeps friendships intact. And civilization from imploding. Now, thanks to AI, it’s imperiled.

In case you missed the news, technologists have found a way to read your mind. It’s called “mind captioning.”

Here’s how ZME Science broke the news:

Published this week in Science Advances, the system uses a blend of brain imaging and artificial intelligence to generate textual descriptions of what people are seeing—or even visualizing with their mind’s eye— based only on their neural patterns.

As Nature journalist Max Kozlov put it, the technique “generates descriptive sentences of what a person is seeing or picturing in their mind using a read-out of their brain activity, with impressive accuracy.”

In other words, AI engineers found a way to convert naturally occurring brain signals into linguistic patterns, paving the way for widespread mind-reading. Before we dive into the privacy nightmare this breakthrough portends, let’s revisit another famous movie scene that captures what’s at stake.

INT. MILLENIUM FALCON – CONTINUOUS

The crew hides in an asteroid field, making ship repairs after escaping the Empire. Princess Leia tries to fix something when Han Solo approaches her.

Princess Leia

You make it so difficult sometimes.

Han Solo

I do, I really do. You could be a little nicer, though. Come on, admit it. Sometimes you think I’m all right.

Princess Leia

Occasionally, maybe… when you aren’t acting like a scoundrel.

Han Solo

Scoundrel? Scoundrel? I like the sound of that.

Han starts to massage Leia’s hand.

Princess Leia

Stop that.

Han Solo

(feigning innocence)

Stop what?

Princess Leia

(doesn’t want him to stop)

Stop that. My hands are dirty.

Han Solo

My hands are dirty, too. What are you afraid of?

Princess Leia

Afraid?

Han Solo

You’re trembling.

Princess Leia

I’m not trembling.

Han moves in closer.

Han Solo

You like me because I’m a scoundrel. There aren’t enough scoundrels in your life.

Princess Leia

I happen to like nice men.

Han Solo

I’m nice men.

Princess Leia

No, you’re not. You’re…

They kiss. Cue the fireworks.

Why does this scene work?

Because audiences like to psychoanalyze characters onscreen. Leia may be protesting via words but her body language intimates she “could use a good kiss,” to borrow a phrase from Han Solo.

It’s not just that great writers, from Shakespeare and Virginia Woolf to Quentin Tarantino, master subtext, the unspoken meaning beneath our words. As mentioned, civilization runs on two tracks: what we say to the world—and what we keep to ourselves.

Returning to AI, the real danger arises when we imagine what happens once powerful companies or governments can read our thoughts.

Here’s just one chilling example.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about why we should reject Universal Basic Income (UBI) with every fiber of our being.

Please recall these specific words that I used to condemn UBI:

Have you ever disagreed with the government about its healthcare stance? Going to war? The legality of certain drugs? What you can and cannot do with your own body?

Again, it doesn’t matter if you’re left, if you’re right, if you’re somewhere in between, or if you’re against politics altogether, if you accept UBI, the government will have the ability to give you money. And take it away.

Now, let me paint a scenario.

It’s 10 years from now. Thanks to widespread automation, much of the public receives UBI. Including you. One day, you receive a notice from your bank: “Due to your thoughts on _______, we regretfully inform you that you will not be receiving this month’s stipend.”

That’s just one possible future.

Here’s another. It’s been in the news that Meta’s big play is to promote its smart glasses featuring augmented reality. These glasses promise to overlay information about the real world in real-time, offering you a visual intel feed like you’re the Terminator just waking up from journeying back in time.

Imagine you’re at a networking event and spot your rival. Until now, you’ve always stayed one step ahead, guarding your strategy with mercenary precision. No more.

Your nemesis takes one look at you with their AR glasses. Suddenly, every thought you hold, including nasty ones about this rival, is theirs for the plucking.

So much for your inner monologue.

Your mind just became an open book. For all to read.