{"id":16033,"date":"2026-07-02T01:14:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T01:14:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=16033"},"modified":"2026-07-02T01:14:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T01:14:23","slug":"op-ed-microsofts-ai-neuroscience-writes-text-to-activate-regions-of-your-brain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=16033","title":{"rendered":"Op-Ed: Microsoft\u2019s AI neuroscience writes text to activate regions of your brain"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Microsoft, the University of California at Berkeley, San Francisco, and Columbia University are <strong>working on neuroscientific studies to predict the brain\u2019s response to language.<\/strong> These studies are delivering high accuracy, and most people will have seen Microsoft\u2019s Copilot at work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This isn\u2019t just the old conventional language-usage type of prediction. The studies focus on \u201c<em>brain-prediction models into short verbal explanations of what each patch of cortex responds to: phrases like \u201cfood preparation\u201d or \u201clocation names.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the process, LLMs have become fundamental tools for predicting human responses. The brain\u2019s regions actively engage with language delivering test results that light up certain regions of the brain.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-testing-and-evaluation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Testing and evaluation<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The idea is to predict responses. As an example, Microsoft uses a simple \u201cwrite a story\u201d analogy regarding creation of an article about food preparation and uses specific terminology to get responses. These responses are checked against the prediction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is called Generative Causal Testing, as Microsoft explains:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>GCT has two steps: explanation, then verification. To generate an explanation, the method starts from a predictive model for a single voxel or region and identifies the short phrases that most strongly drive its predicted response. An LLM then summarizes those words into a concise verbal explanation, often a single phrase such as \u201cfood preparation\u201d or \u201clocation names.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using \u201c<strong>graphic voxels\u201d,<\/strong> the response is evaluated and compared to predicted outcomes, and very predictable they are, just using basic language structures. Note that \u201cfood preparation\u201d or \u201clocation names\u201d are also obvious natural triggers for any response, the classic \u201cwhat and where\u201d of any text. According to Microsoft, this method delivers results above baseline.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-predictive-ai-and-language\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Predictive AI and language<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To their credit, Microsoft adds a strong and meaningful caveat to its findings so far:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The significance of GCT reaches well beyond neuroscience. Researchers increasingly face the same dilemma: a model that predicts beautifully but explains nothing.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The net takeaway so far is that Microsoft thinks it\u2019s found a mapping tool, not an infallible switch for responses. Given the hostile responses to so much AI-generated content, that looks like an accurate description.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Predictive AI itself<\/strong> is also still very much a work in progress. It\u2019s clunky, mechanical, works on data-crunching, and it\u2019s everywhere. It\u2019s particularly prevalent in marketing, where it generates those nice, often repetitive, stagnant, infinitely predictable feeds in your social media.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-wider-and-very-useful-language-ramifications-for-neuroscience\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wider and very useful language ramifications for neuroscience<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Given the overwhelmingly hostile response to \u201cAI slop\u201d, another very appropriate use for this research could be to spell out non-engagement and disengagement with AI-generated content.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>At what point do users disengage?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>On what criteria does the brain reject content?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Can the neurological reaction be defined?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Can the rejection process identify flaws in content generation?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Does AI distillation from AI-generated content contribute to rejection, and to what extent?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This type of issue is becoming a fatal flaw in AI-generated content at just about all media levels. There\u2019s not much point in AI-generated content if nobody will use it. \u201cToo long didn\u2019t read\u201d can easily become \u201cToo dumb didn\u2019t read\u201d. That\u2019s one step away from refusal to read.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The issue of disengagement is becoming critical. Let\u2019s also not dodge the fact that expert readers are the first to slam inadequate content. These critiques are often damning and perfectly valid, whether the problem is pronunciation or fact-checking.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-predictive-neuroscience-ai-and-possible-uses-outside-the-language-framework\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Predictive neuroscience AI and possible uses outside the language framework<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This research deserves scrutiny in a wider context. Microsoft isn\u2019t a neuroscience business. It may, however, have found a useful psychological tool for evaluating responses to \u201ctrigger words\u201d. It could be a word association test with an attached LLM.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Does an apparently innocuous word trigger a disproportionate response?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Does a word that generates a strong response relate to trauma?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>What about specific subjects?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>How would you, and can you, measure the response on a voxel system?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Have any studies of this type been done, and if so, with or without the Microsoft research tools? \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This type of response can\u2019t be a lie detector in any form, but as a psychological \u201cOuch!\u201d meter, it may be very useful. Bearing in mind the natural reticence of people regarding intensely personal subjects, it might be very helpful.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s a gaping hole in AI in its uses in practical psychology<strong>. AI in psychology is currently at app level<\/strong> as a 24\/7 support and in similar roles. It\u2019s not necessarily any sort of diagnostic tool.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neural responses are very different. They could be used for proper documentation of issues in case management. They could also map significant changes in responses during therapy, like case progression, and whether the therapy is working or not.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-neuroscience-and-language-are-an-infinite-mix\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Neuroscience and language are an infinite mix<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The neuroscience language research is beginning to open up a ballpark nobody really knew was there. Of course, people respond to language. How and why remain very much open for debate and discussion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Can you test a new buzzword for engagement?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Can you identify active terminology evolving by its engagement or disengagement?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Can you measure how people engage with literary classics and what makes them stand out?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Can you use machine learning to correct mispronunciations?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Can you do something about making speech-to-text less gruelling for writers and readers?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Can you make marketing language more informative and efficient, like leaving out the interminable prologues to subjects?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This may well be the answer to AI slop, but it could also be a way out of all that tiresome, chronically inefficient language.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 728px 160px; gap:2px; width:908px; background:#eee; padding:2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u901a\u680f\u9876\u90e8\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u6a2a\u5e45 908x258 \u8de8\u6574\u884c -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:258px; background:#ff6b6b; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114307\" data-width=\"908\" data-height=\"258\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114307});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u7b2c\u4e8c\u901a\u680f\uff1a728\u00d790 \u901a\u680f -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:90px; background:#4ecdc4; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114300\" data-width=\"728\" data-height=\"90\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114300});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u4e3b\u680f\uff1a\u591a\u5e7f\u544a\u5806\u53e0 -->\r\n  <div style=\"display:grid; 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background:#ff9ecd; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114305\" data-width=\"250\" data-height=\"250\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114305});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:139px; background:#c792ea; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114302\" data-width=\"133\" data-height=\"139\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114302});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:125px; background:#91e7ac; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t\r\n<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114303\" data-width=\"125\" data-height=\"125\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114303});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u7ad6\u680f\uff1a160\u00d7600 \u6574\u5217\u9ad8\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row:3\/8; height:600px;  display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114301\" data-width=\"160\" data-height=\"600\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114301});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/> Op-Ed: Microsoft\u2019s AI neuroscience writes text to activate regions of your brain<br \/>\n<br \/>#OpEd #Microsofts #neuroscience #writes #text #activate #regions #brain<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Microsoft, the University of California at Berkeley, San Francisco, and Columbia University are working on&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16034,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[13605,3205,11517,13604,7300,9792,10247,6716],"class_list":["post-16033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-activate","tag-brain","tag-microsofts","tag-neuroscience","tag-oped","tag-regions","tag-text","tag-writes"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe.jpg",768,511,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe.jpg",640,426,false],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe.jpg",640,426,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe.jpg",768,511,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe.jpg",768,511,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe.jpg",768,511,false],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe-768x500.jpg",768,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe.jpg",768,511,false],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe-540x340.jpg",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bea6dcdecb4c41bcf35f6d598f7b3a0b1962c8fe-400x250.jpg",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?cat=7\" rel=\"category\">Stories<\/a>","tag_info":"Stories","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}