Scientists use AI to 'rewrite' painful memories in people's brains

Treating phobias commonly involves patients being exposed to the objects, animals or situations they fear the most. A fear of cars, born from a car crash, may be tackled by exposure to vehicles, for example, or people with arachnophobia can beat it by handling spiders. The process involves remembering, and then mentally dealing with, the initial trauma but this can be a difficult and painful experience. AI may soon be able to help. "It would be nice if there was some way we could do this without people ever having to confront it – either unconsciously or subconsciously," Ben Seymour, a neuroscientist, told WIRED. Using a combination of real-time brain imaging through MRI scans, artificial intelligence, and rewards, the University of Cambridge doctor has created a way to remove specific fearful memories from the brain.