Decoding thoughts, encoding ethics: A narrative review of the BCI-AI revolution

Abstract

<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This narrative review aims to analyze mechanisms underlying Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration, evaluate recent advances in signal acquisition and processing techniques, and assess AI-enhanced neural decoding strategies. The review identifies critical research gaps and examines emerging solutions across multiple domains of BCI-AI integration.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A narrative review was conducted using major biomedical and scientific databases including PubMed, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and Scopus (2014–2024). Literature was analyzed to identify key developments in BCI-AI integration, with particular emphasis on recent advances (2019–2024). The review process involved thematic analysis of selected publications focusing on practical applications, technical innovations, and emerging challenges.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Recent advances demonstrate significant improvements in BCI-AI systems: 1) High-density electrode arrays achieve spatial resolution up to 5 mm, with stable recordings over 15 months; 2) Deep learning decoders show 40 % improvement in information transfer rates compared to traditional methods; 3) Adaptive algorithms maintain >90 % success rates in motor control tasks over 200-day periods without recalibration; 4) Novel closed-loop optimization frameworks reduce user training time by 55 % while improving accuracy. Latest developments in flexible neural interfaces and self-supervised learning approaches show promise in addressing long-term stability and cross-user generalization challenges.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>BCI-AI integration shows remarkable progress in improving signal quality, decoding accuracy, and user adaptation. While challenges remain in long-term stability and user training, advances in adaptive algorithms and feedback mechanisms demonstrate the technology’s growing viability for clinical applications. Recent innovations in electrode technology, AI architectures, and closed-loop systems, combined with emerging standardization frameworks, suggest accelerating progress toward widespread therapeutic use and human augmentation applications.<br></div></div>