MIT Technology Review is reporting that a new artificial intelligence tool can reconstruct what a person is looking at by analyzing brain scans, and can also predict brain activity based on what a person sees. It said the researchers behind the "mind-reading" tool hope it could reveal more about how the brain works, help locked-in patients communicate and perhaps even allow scientists to recreate the content of dreams. The outlet said other scientists warn a similar approach could reveal people's inner thoughts and mental imagery, potentially without their consent.
MIT Technology Review also reported that some startups are deploying relatively small batteries in unexpected places, from induction stovetops to food carts, as large utility-scale battery installations face pushback from communities concerned about rare but high-profile battery fires. It said the consumer-focused units are helping people directly by cutting pollution or power bills, and that while small individually, they could add up to significant capacity as batteries become cheaper.
The outlet said the Pentagon has tapped Elon Musk to co-lead a future warfare project called Project Meridian, which will examine battlefields from underground to space. It said Musk will be joined by Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich, and that the Pentagon has also created a new autonomous warfare command.
MIT Technology Review reported that Chinese hackers impersonated former U.S. officials and an Anthropic employee in an email campaign targeting experts in military AI and export controls. It said OpenAI has accused China's Moonshot AI of copying its models, and that China's DeepSeek and Huawei have teamed up on chip software.
The outlet said Google unveiled its Gemini 4 Argon model after months of delays, aiming to re-establish the company at the frontier of AI, though some Google employees are skeptical about its coding performance. It also reported that the Federal Trade Commission is investigating OpenAI, Anthropic and other AI labs over potential consumer harms from AI agents, in what it described as the first official U.S. enforcement action on rogue agents.
MIT Technology Review said California has legalized balcony solar for renters and homeowners, a move that could give plug-in solar a large new market. It said Apple is planning a major push into the smart-home market this month, with a new hub expected to launch on October 13.
Full Article: The Download: AI “mind-reading” and creative uses for small batteries