Nita Farahany

We are on the cusp of an explosion of cheap,  consumer-ready neurotechnology - from earbuds that gather our behavioral data,  to sensors that can read our dreams. And it’s all going to be supercharged by AI. This technology is moving from niche to mainstream - and it has the same potential to become exponential. Legal scholar Nita Farahany talks us through the current state of neurotechnology and its deep links to AI. She says that we urgently need to protect the last frontier of privacy: our internal thoughts. And she argues that without a new legal framework around “cognitive liberty,” we won’t be able to insulate our brains from corporate and government intrusion.RECOMMENDED MEDIA The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology by Nita FarahanyThe Battle for Your Brain offers a path forward to navigate the complex dilemmas that will fundamentally impact our freedom to understand, shape, and define ourselvesComputer Program Reveals What Neurons in the Visual Cortex Prefer to Look AtA study of macaque monkeys at Harvard generated valuable clues based on an artificial intelligence system that can reliably determine what neurons in the brain’s visual cortex prefer to seeUnderstanding Media: The Extensions of Man by Marshall McLuhanAn influential work by a fixture in media discourseRECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES The Three Rules of Humane TechTalking With Animals… Using AIHow to Free Our Minds with Cult Deprogramming Expert Dr. Steven HassanYour Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for Humane Technology. Follow us on Twitter: @HumaneTech_

Nita Farahani, a legal scholar and AI ethicist, dives into the ethical challenges of merging our minds with machines. Conor Russomanno, a neurotechnologist and founder of OpenBCI, discusses groundbreaking brain-computer interfaces. Sergiu Pașca, a neuroscientist at Stanford, sheds light on using brain organoids to tackle neuropsychiatric disorders. They explore trauma treatment through innovative neurotechnology, the vital need for mind privacy laws, and the transformative potential of these advancements in enhancing mental well-being.

Nita Farahany, a leading neurotech and AI ethicist specializing in brain-computer interfaces, dives into the intersection of technology and mental privacy. She explores the incredible potential of neurotechnology for improving mental health, such as tracking conditions like depression. However, she raises urgent concerns about the risks of brain data exploitation and the ethical implications of tech giants accessing our innermost thoughts. Farahany champions the idea of 'cognitive liberty' to protect individual mental experiences in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Machine poets. ChatGPT fails. Neurological surveillance. Brain implants that treat depression. Is it scary? Cool? Let’s firehose some questions at Duke Law professor, neuro and bioethicist, author and TED speaker Dr. Nita Farahany. She explains the history of AI, the dawn of chatbots, what’s changed recently, the potential for good, the possible perils, how different lawmakers are stepping in, and whether or not this is scary dinner party conversation. Do you have feelings about AI and brain implants? Hopefully, and we talk about why. Buy Dr. Nita Farahany’s books: The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology (2023) and The Impact of Behavioral Sciences on Criminal Law (2009)Dr. Farahany’s 2023 TED Talk: Your right to mental privacy in the age of brain-sensing techFollow Dr. Farahany on Instagram, TikTok and TwitterA donation was made to Human Rights WatchMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Field Trip: A Hollywood Visit to the Writers Guild Strike Line, Neuropathology (CONCUSSIONS), Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD), Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS), Radiology (X-RAY VISION), Futurology (THE FUTURE), Gizmology (ROBOTS), Diabetology (DIABETES)Sponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!Follow @Ologies on Twitter and InstagramFollow @AlieWard on Twitter and InstagramEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media and Mark David Christenson Transcripts by Emily White of The WordaryWebsite by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn

Nita Farahany, a proponent of memory modification and erasure, debates with Sigal Samuel on whether bad memories should be erased. They discuss the benefits and dangers of memory alteration, explore the implications of erasing memories on identity and trust, and touch on topics like removing religious thoughts and addressing intergenerational trauma. The podcast highlights the importance of cognitive liberty and the need for regulations in memory manipulation technology.

Legal scholar Nita Farahany shares a heartbreaking experience, and guests explore topics such as rewriting traumatic memories, protecting privacy in the era of neurotechnology, the erosion of cognitive liberty, building a new type of personal computer, brain hacks and brain organoids, and living with epilepsy.

Nita Farahany, a Duke Law professor and bioethics expert, dives into the fast-evolving world of neurotechnology. She discusses how close we are to mind reading and the ethical implications this brings. The conversation touches on using neurodata in criminal justice and workplace surveillance, highlighting risks of emotional manipulation. Farahany also explores how brain implants could treat depression and the dangers of hacking neural interfaces, emphasizing the urgent need for regulatory frameworks to protect mental privacy and liberties.

Nita Farahany, a Duke University law professor and author of "The Battle for Your Brain," discusses the ethical implications of neurotechnology and its impact on privacy and freedom of thought. She highlights how this emerging field can decode thoughts while posing risks for surveillance and mental health. Farahany also explores the psychological effects of social media on children and advocates for a more engaged paternal role in emotional development. The conversation touches on national security concerns linked to technologies like TikTok and the competitive landscape with China.

Nita Farahany, an ethicist and legal scholar focused on neurotechnology, dives into the chilling potential of mind-reading tech. She explores how employers might monitor thoughts and the ethical implications surrounding cognitive liberty. Nita discusses advanced neurotech in workplaces, the future of virtual reality as emotional interpreters, and the controversial idea of dream manipulation for advertising. The conversation stresses the urgent need for legal protections to preserve mental privacy and autonomy in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Nita Farahany is a professor at Duke University School of Law and the author of “The Battle for Your Brain.” Her work focuses on the ethical, legal, and social implications of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology. How will these emerging technologies affect our rights to privacy, freedom of thought, and self-determination? The conversation took place in San Francisco on April 16th at the Sydney Goldstein Theater, and was hosted by City Arts & Lectures. Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters@cafe.com, or leave a voicemail at 669-247-7338.References & Supplemental Materials:Nita Farahany, “The Battle for Your Brain,” MacMillan, 2023Preet Bharara, “Doing Justice,” Penguin Random House, 2019For analysis of recent legal news, try the CAFE Insider membership for just $1 for one month: cafe.com/insider. Check out other CAFE shows Now & Then and Up Against the Mob.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices