An Australian intelligence agency is providing funding for research aimed at merging artificial intelligence (AI) with human brain cells. The project has received a $600,000 grant from the Australia National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants Program, with the backing of the defense and the Office of National Intelligence (ONI). The research is being conducted jointly by Monash University and Cortical Labs.
Adeel Razi, the lead researcher on the project and associate professor at Monash University’s Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, explained that this new technology could potentially surpass the performance of existing silicon-based hardware. Last year, the research team successfully created a “DishBrain,” a semi-biological computer chip containing around 800,000 human and mouse brain cells that were lab-grown into its electrodes. These neurons were cultivated from human stem cells.
Using this innovative technology, the scientists trained the brain cells to play the classic video game “Pong.” The micro-electrode array at the core of the DishBrain was capable of reading brain cell activity and stimulating them with electrical signals, enabling the brain cells to control the movement of the paddle in the game.
Experts believe that this brain-powered Biological Intelligence Operating System could be the future of AI because it is self-programming, requires less memory, conserves energy, and can continuously learn throughout its lifetime, similar to human brain cells.
The potential implications of this research span across various fields, including planning, robotics, advanced automation, brain-machine interfaces, and drug discovery, providing Australia with a significant strategic advantage. The grant will be used to develop AI machines that can replicate the learning capacity of biological neural networks, potentially making them a viable replacement for traditional in silico computing.
It’s worth noting that Cortical Labs, one of the research partners, received $10 million in funding, including investment from the venture arm of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The company combines synthetic biology and human neurons to develop what they refer to as “Organoid Intelligence” (OI), a class of AI with promising potential.
As the research progresses, it holds the promise of revolutionizing AI and opening up new possibilities for advanced computing and cognitive capabilities that could have a profound impact across multiple industries. However, ethical and safety considerations will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the future of such technology.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
