Artificial Intelligence and Neurotechnology convergence

The convergence of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology is creating a new technological ecosystem, referred to by the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) as a ‘neurostack’. This ecosystem integrates neurodata, cloud infrastructure, and large-scale models to analyze information regarding brain function, behavior, attention, and emotional states.

While these advancements offer significant potential for medical research and clinical applications, they present unprecedented risks to privacy, human autonomy, and democratic oversight. The EGE warns that current institutional frameworks are insufficient to manage these challenges. In its report, ‘Governing Neuro-AI: Towards an Infrastructure Approach’, the group advocates for a regulatory approach that treats neuro-AI as a broad infrastructure rather than isolated devices or applications to prevent new forms of surveillance and dependency.