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Emulating future neurotechnology using magic

Olson, Jay A. ; Cyr, Mariève ; Artenie, Despina Z. ; Strandberg, Thomas LU ; Hall, Lars LU ; Tompkins, Matthew L. LU ; Raz, Amir and Johansson, Petter LU (2023) In Consciousness and Cognition 107.
Abstract

Recent developments in neuroscience and artificial intelligence have allowed machines to decode mental processes with growing accuracy. Neuroethicists have speculated that perfecting these technologies may result in reactions ranging from an invasion of privacy to an increase in self-understanding. Yet, evaluating these predictions is difficult given that people are poor at forecasting their reactions. To address this, we developed a paradigm using elements of performance magic to emulate future neurotechnologies. We led 59 participants to believe that a (sham) neurotechnological machine could infer their preferences, detect their errors, and reveal their deep-seated attitudes. The machine gave participants randomly assigned positive or... (More)

Recent developments in neuroscience and artificial intelligence have allowed machines to decode mental processes with growing accuracy. Neuroethicists have speculated that perfecting these technologies may result in reactions ranging from an invasion of privacy to an increase in self-understanding. Yet, evaluating these predictions is difficult given that people are poor at forecasting their reactions. To address this, we developed a paradigm using elements of performance magic to emulate future neurotechnologies. We led 59 participants to believe that a (sham) neurotechnological machine could infer their preferences, detect their errors, and reveal their deep-seated attitudes. The machine gave participants randomly assigned positive or negative feedback about their brain's supposed attitudes towards charity. Around 80% of participants in both groups provided rationalisations for this feedback, which shifted their attitudes in the manipulated direction but did not influence donation behaviour. Our paradigm reveals how people may respond to prospective neurotechnologies, which may inform neuroethical frameworks.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Artificial intelligence, Attitudes, Deception, Magic, Neuroethics, Neurotechnology
in
Consciousness and Cognition
volume
107
article number
103450
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:36566673
  • scopus:85144819049
ISSN
1053-8100
DOI
10.1016/j.concog.2022.103450
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f74c7e11-739b-4fff-8f26-6a8f3dd73ae2
date added to LUP
2023-02-03 09:52:54
date last changed
2024-04-18 09:08:01
@article{f74c7e11-739b-4fff-8f26-6a8f3dd73ae2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Recent developments in neuroscience and artificial intelligence have allowed machines to decode mental processes with growing accuracy. Neuroethicists have speculated that perfecting these technologies may result in reactions ranging from an invasion of privacy to an increase in self-understanding. Yet, evaluating these predictions is difficult given that people are poor at forecasting their reactions. To address this, we developed a paradigm using elements of performance magic to emulate future neurotechnologies. We led 59 participants to believe that a (sham) neurotechnological machine could infer their preferences, detect their errors, and reveal their deep-seated attitudes. The machine gave participants randomly assigned positive or negative feedback about their brain's supposed attitudes towards charity. Around 80% of participants in both groups provided rationalisations for this feedback, which shifted their attitudes in the manipulated direction but did not influence donation behaviour. Our paradigm reveals how people may respond to prospective neurotechnologies, which may inform neuroethical frameworks.</p>}},
  author       = {{Olson, Jay A. and Cyr, Mariève and Artenie, Despina Z. and Strandberg, Thomas and Hall, Lars and Tompkins, Matthew L. and Raz, Amir and Johansson, Petter}},
  issn         = {{1053-8100}},
  keywords     = {{Artificial intelligence; Attitudes; Deception; Magic; Neuroethics; Neurotechnology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Consciousness and Cognition}},
  title        = {{Emulating future neurotechnology using magic}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2022.103450}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.concog.2022.103450}},
  volume       = {{107}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}