B2 – Upper Intermediate
An investigation is underway regarding China accessing neural data from BrainCo’s focus-training headband that some top athletes use.
Athletes wear this wearable headband because it helps them get in the zone. It enables them to monitor their brainwaves which could help them optimize their performance.
Read the article to know more about BrainCo and the rise of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology.
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “brain-computer interface (BCI) technology” mean? “That was long before Beijing’s announcement of its major goal this year: leading the world in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology by 2030.” Use the term in a sentence.
- What does “dual-use potential” mean? “This dual-use potential is why both superpowers are racing to control it. Whoever has the most neural data and best algorithms could gain an unprecedented advantage in medicine, commerce, or warfare.” Use the term in a sentence.
- What does “aggregated data” mean? “BrainCo’s privacy statement explicitly saying it collects brain wave data from users and that aggregated data may be sent to any office worldwide or even third parties.” Use the term in a sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the positives and negatives of BrainCo’s wearable focus-training headband?
- Do you believe BrainCo is telling the truth when they say that any brain data collected is “purged from the application at the conclusion of each use”? Share your insights.
- Share your opinion about some Democratic U.S. senators’ warning about the potential exploitation of sensitive neural data and that Chinese companies are purportedly developing brain-control weaponry.
- Share your thoughts that some companies are promised special government support for technologies deemed critical to military dominance.
- “The potential applications of BCI unlocked by AI could be boundless — and dangerous.” Share your opinion.
- Share your insights on BCI tech’s dual-use potential.