Advancements in AI and fMRI allow for passive mind-reading and decoding of language signals.

Scientists have developed a system that uses MRI scans and artificial intelligence to decode the gist of what a person hears or imagines, rather than trying to replicate each word. The technology can't read minds, but it could help people who are unable to speak because of a brain injury or disease. The approach is an attempt to "decode more freeform thought," and could have applications beyond communication, such as understanding mental illness. However, the system is slower and less accurate than experimental communication systems being developed for paralyzed people that use electrical sensors implanted directly on the surface of the brain.