SpaceRock

Former OpenAI researcher Naomi Bashkansky has left the company to join Conduit as a founding researcher, where she will help develop AI capable of translating non-invasive brain signals into text and AI commands. The startup is building thought-to-text models that interpret neural activity without requiring brain implants, aiming to create a safer and more accessible alternative to invasive brain-computer interfaces. Bashkansky announced that Conduit’s long-term vision is to make interacting with AI feel as natural as thinking itself, allowing users to communicate with digital systems directly through their thoughts. If successful, the technology could transform accessibility for people with speech or motor impairments while also introducing new ways to control computers, write text, and interact with AI assistants. However, the ambitious project also raises significant questions around privacy, data security, and the ethical handling of highly sensitive neural information as brain-computer interface technology continues to advance.