Boffins need to implant lags with ‘recollections of crimes from sufferer’s view’

A scientist has come up with a creepy new idea he says will fast-track a criminal’s release to ‘minutes’.

Molecular biologist Hashem Al-Ghalili says prisons could use AI to implant synthetic memories of a crime into the perpetrator’s brain, showing it from the victims’ perspectives.

While the rehabilitation would last for several minutes, it would seem like years to the criminal.

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He suggests a VR-like device that would stream AI-generated footage of the crime, including offences like domestic violence, hate crimes and discrimination embezzlement, insider trading, theft and fraud. This would be aided by a brain implant to induce emotional states like remorse or regret which would force the offender to feel the pain and suffering their victim endured.

In a video on Youtube, prisoners can be seen be encased within a futuristic-looking pod wearing a Cognify device over their heads with a display across their eyes and headphones covering their ears.

Explaining the concept, which Al-Ghaili has dubbed Cognify, the scientist says prisoners would undergo high-resolution brain scanning to create a detailed map of their neural pathways.

The map would allow the Cognify device to target specific brain regions responsible for memory, reasoning and logical thinking, he said.

Al-Ghaili said: “Cognify could someday create and implant artificial memories directly into the prisoner’s brain.

“These complex, vivid and life-like memories are created in real-time using AI-generated content.

“Inside the criminal’s mind, time would pass differently slower than in real life, making them experience years-worth. Depending on the seriousness of the subject’s crime and their sentence, the memories could be tailored to the rehabilitation needs of each subject.

“Some memories are designed to trigger consequences and trauma. Such memories could simulate the long-term consequences of violent actions, such as the grief of the victim’s family or the physical and emotional trauma endured by the victim.

“The artificial memories implanted by the Cognify would be seamlessly incorporated into the existing neural networks of the brain, preventing cognitive dissonance and ensuring the subject experiences the memories as if they were real.”

According to Al-Ghaili the concept could “revolutionise” the criminal justice system and reduce the need for long prison sentences.

It would also save money as less would need to be spent on the costs of traditional prisons like construction, maintenance, staffing and prisoner care like food and healthcare.

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