Summary
Cortical Labs, an Australian company founded in 2019, is making strides in the field of biocomputing by integrating human neurons into computer systems. Their notable project, DishBrain, consists of 800,000 human neurons that have been successfully trained to play the video game Pong. This innovative approach aims to harness biological capabilities that traditional silicon computers struggle to replicate. Brett Kagan from Cortical emphasizes their goal of achieving controllable and reproducible biological intelligence, although critics question the ambitious claims of sentience made in their research.
In June 2022, Cortical launched the CL1 bio-computer, priced at $35,000, targeting academic researchers and industries such as music and entertainment. The CL1 has since been showcased playing Doom, demonstrating faster learning capabilities compared to conventional machine learning systems, despite its performance lagging behind top human players. The company continues to expand its reach, with the National University of Singapore recently acquiring a setup of 20 CL1s, totaling 16 million human neurons.
While the achievements of Cortical Labs are impressive, questions remain about the practical applications of such biocomputing technology. Critics urge for clarity on the specific benefits that human neurons on a chip provide over existing technologies, rather than relying on vague promises of future advancements. The fascination with biocomputing reflects a broader trend in AI development, where the allure of groundbreaking technology often overshadows the need for tangible results.
Show Notes
Robocop plays Doom Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/davidgerard Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/A1529D5 Buy us nice useful things (if not in the UK, set your own delivery postcode to SW1A 0AA): https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/3Q8VZW46J6DM6 Get an extremely cool Pivot to AI shirt or mug: https://pivot-to-ai.redbubble.com Get a horse shirt: Black Percheron by Rose Gerard https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/22329712 Send in your story tips and non-slop sponsorship offers: [email protected] Social media: https://circumstances.run/@davidgerard https://bsky.app/profile/davidgerard.circumstances.run.ap.brid.gy Sources: In vitro neurons learn and exhibit sentience when embodied in a simulated game-world https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273%2822%2900806-6 Biocomputer with live neurons brought to life through art and cloud https://connectsci.au/news/news-parent/7947/Biocomputer-with-live-neurons-brought-to-life Human Brain Cells on a Chip for Sale: World-first biocomputing platform hits the market https://spectrum.ieee.org/biological-computer-for-sale Living Human Brain Cells Play DOOM on a CL1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRV8fSw6HaE&list=UU9rJrMVgcXTfa8xuMnbhAEA Human brain cells on a chip learned to play Doom in a week https://www.newscientist.com/article/2517389-human-brain-cells-on-a-chip-learned-to-play-doom-in-a-week/ A petri dish of human brain cells is currently playing Doom. Should we be worried? https://www.theguardian.com/games/2026/mar/16/petri-dish-brain-cells-playing-doom-cortical-labs NUS Medicine, DayOne and Cortical Labs Unveil Biological Data Center Prototype in Singapore https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/news/nus-medicine-dayone-and-cortical-labs-unveil-biological-data-center-prototype-in-singapore/ Full Pivot to AI playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UU9rJrMVgcXTfa8xuMnbhAEA
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