World's first computer powered by human brain cells goes on sale

[highplainsdem]

Source: The Independent

An Australian startup has unveiled the world’s first commercial biological computer that runs on living human brain cells.

Melbourne-based Cortical Labs launched the CL1 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, describing it as a “body in a box” that holds the potential to revolutionise AI and robotics.

The computer uses lab-grown neurons that grow across a silicon chip, which allows them to send and receive electrical impulses.

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An internal life support system of pumps, gas, and temperature controls keep the neurons alive for up to six months.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/tech/ai-computer-human-brain-cells-cortical-labs-b2709280.html

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Everyone here who thinks that anyone in AI who considered this a good idea should be locked up, say Aye.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. I see a world where AI computers are run by Oligarch brain cells

because they paid for it.

What could ever go wrong?

[lapfog_1]

2. neurons are actually pretty slow

the distance between them is very small... but the transfer rate is not great.

So as we keep shrinking the size of electronic logic... any advantage of biological process disappears ( well, that is my take on things, I am not a biologist, for the biology part I would talk to my daughter, a PhD candidate in the field of neurology )

BTW, a small groups of electronic transistors that make up today's chips are know collectively as "cells"

[LudwigPastorius]

12. Yes, fortunately incorporating a bunch of human neurons into traditional processing would create a speed bottleneck.

I would hope that alone would prevent someone from building a computer out of millions, or billions, of brain cells.

...because the ethical concerns that raises are terrifying.

[Hugin]

3. Yet, the same people won't pay minimum wage for someone to check and bag groceries...

Is there some kind of estimate for the maintenance cost of this cryptostein monster?

[SheltieLover]

4. Creepy imo

[boonecreek]

5. I thought this might be Borowitz or The Onion.

Oh, dear lord it's real. BTW, aye.

[IowaUnionman]

6. Organelles

Reminds me of the book..The Child Buyer. Where the intelligence services were buying exceptionally gifted children to be used as human computers after stripping away all their senses. Vision ,hearing ,touch etc.

[mdbl]

7. In the near future this tech will be used to make terminators

[Bayard]

8. This technology will not work for MAGAts

[sdfernando]

10. Dr. Ian Malcolm come to mind

"Your scientists were so concerned with trying to do a thing that they never considered whether they should,"

[Xipe Totec]

11. Let's call it a Cybernetic Living Organic Network, or Cylon for short. nt

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

13. How about "Electronic Living Organic Network", or ELON for short.

A much more ominous name. Be afraid.

[charliea]

14. that's not what I'd worry about...

In 2017 Intel introduced Loihi, a neuromorphic research chip. In 2021 they introduced Loihi 2, designed to model a spiking neural network. Last year they introduced the Hala Point system based on that chip:

Powered by 1,152 of Intel's new Loihi 2 processors — a neuromorphic research chip — this large-scale system comprises 1.15 billion artificial neurons and 128 billion artificial synapses distributed over 140,544 processing cores.

Currently it's described as the size of a microwave oven and I note that according to quick search that's more neurons than any bird on the planet.

Will we get Ultron/Terminator or Data/Vision?

[Wonder Why]

15. Use trump' brain then send it to China - or let Russia have the secret to copying it..