Woman speaks after 18 years, thanks to AI
A woman named Ann Johnson, who lost her ability to speak after a brainstem stroke in 2005, just spoke again for the first time in 2025—thanks to researchers at UC Berkeley and UCSF using a brain-computer interface (BCI) and artificial intelligence.
How the process worked
Researchers placed a grid of tiny electrodes on Johnson's brain to pick up signals when she tried to talk.
These signals were sent to computers, where AI turned them into speech sounds.
A digital avatar then spoke for her using audio from her old wedding speech.
A new era of communication
This breakthrough means people with severe paralysis could one day chat naturally again, not just through text or slow devices.
With wireless BCIs on the horizon, regaining real conversation could become much more accessible for many who've lost their voice.