A groundbreaking study published Thursday has successfully decoded inner speech, a long-elusive goal that could revolutionize communication for people with disabilities. The research, conducted by scientists at Stanford University and BrainGate consortium, used advanced brain-computer interface technology to decode the internal monologue of four participants with paralysis.
The breakthrough offers promising advancements in existing brain-computer interface technology, which relies on attempting speech to enable people with disabilities to communicate. By decoding inner speech, computers can bypass the physical effort required for spoken communication, potentially offering a more natural and effortless experience for users.
Researchers implanted micro arrays of sensors into the participants’ brains, capturing their inner speech brain activity and combining it with previously collected data from attempted speech. The AI models achieved an impressive 74% accuracy in decoding inner speech, surpassing previous studies that relied solely on attempted speech.
The study’s authors acknowledge the limitations of the research, including the need for further investigation into the underlying biological mechanisms. However, the potential benefits are significant, with experts predicting faster and more efficient communication for individuals with dysarthric speech.
While concerns over privacy and data security remain, researchers believe that safeguards can be implemented to protect users’ neural data and thoughts. The breakthrough has sparked excitement across the field, with companies like Paradromics eagerly integrating inner speech-based communication into their ongoing clinical trials.
Source: https://www.statnews.com/2025/08/14/can-a-computer-turn-our-internal-monologue-into-speech