Mind-reading AI has arrived in China

Ever heard of the term ‘Orwellian’?

I know what you’re thinking…

Now, we’re not saying that the Thought Police in George Orwell’s 1984 and the Chinese government are one and the same. But think about this definition: “They discover and punish thought crime, personal and political thoughts unapproved by the government regime.”

Yup, this is a concept Orwell penned in his seminal novel. But with the latest reports coming from China, fiction and reality are blurring like never before. Word is that its latest, cutting-edge tech means that the government has access to artificial intelligence that can monitor the minds of dozens of Communist party officials, all by analyzing facial expressions and brain waves in response to political material.

Are we being cynical? Could this be used as a force for good? According to the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Centre, the high-tech development would be used to “further solidify their confidence and determination to be grateful to the party, listen to the party and follow the party”. So, uh, no.

AI AI, captain

This new, mind-reading AI is just another step in China’s quest for total social control. Already a social credit system punishes those that are deemed untrustworthy by the government; a low score sees citizens punished with slower internet, minimal access to high-paid jobs, and limitations on car and house loans.

The difficulty we all face is keeping an eye on such technology as it criss-crosses over the world. Of course, there’s (hopefully) zero chance of the US government implementing such tech, but what’s clear is that the rising tide of AI innovation is only increasing apace.

Analysts are suggesting that we’re on the brink of an AI gold rush. And with the biggest companies in the world – Amazon, Google, IBM, Microsoft – emerging as leaders in AI tech, it could be time to hop on the gravy train. From optimizing ads, to automated marketing, to deep knowledge translations and a whole host of other cool features, such as automated driving, AI is slowly but surely changing the world one chip at a time. It’s still early in the day for AI though, and there are plenty of options here for investors looking for an exciting growth option. Definitely worth keeping an eye on AI.