TL;DR:
- Lab-grown synthetic brain cells can now learn tasks and are embedded in silicon chips.
- A research project merges artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, aiming to create programmable cyborg computing chips.
- These chips possess lifelong learning abilities, allowing machines to acquire new skills without forgetting old ones.
- The technology has vast implications across various fields, including planning, robotics, brain-machine interfaces, and drug discovery.
- Australia gains a significant strategic advantage in this cutting-edge research.
- Collaboration between Monash University and Cortical Labs is set to develop AI machines replicating biological neural networks.
Main AI News:
In an astonishing breakthrough, lab-grown synthetic brain cells have already demonstrated their ability to learn tasks. The remarkable advancements continue as the pioneering team responsible for 800,000 Pong-playing brain cells, residing in a dish, secures a substantial $600,000 AUD grant from Australia’s National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants Program. Their mission? To propel these lab-grown brain cells, now embedded in silicon chips, into the realm of machine learning.
The project, a groundbreaking fusion of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, is spearheaded by Adeel Razi, an esteemed associate professor at Monash University’s Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health. In a news release, Razi states, “This entire project merges the fields of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology to create programmable biological computing platforms, potentially outperforming existing purely silicon-based hardware.”
Described explicitly by the Australian government’s Office of National Intelligence, the three-year research project seeks to forge programmable cyborg computing chips, envisioning a fascinating future where biological and technological elements seamlessly unite.
As highlighted in a previous Neuron article on the Pong-playing capabilities, synthetic biological intelligence, once relegated to the realms of science fiction, is now on the precipice of becoming a reality.
Razi’s research takes machine learning to uncharted heights, aiming to imbue these synthetic chip brains with the unparalleled lifelong learning abilities seen in real human brains. Unlike current AI systems that suffer from “catastrophic forgetting” when acquiring new tasks, these chip brains can continually learn without sacrificing their existing knowledge. Furthermore, they effortlessly adapt to changes, applying past experiences to fresh challenges while conserving computing power, memory, and energy.
With such groundbreaking research, the implications are staggering across multiple domains, including planning, robotics, advanced automation, brain-machine interfaces, and drug discovery. Australia stands to gain a momentous strategic advantage from these endeavors.
Led by Razi, the Monash University group has formed a partnership with Cortical Labs of Melbourne to advance the research further. Their next milestone involves growing human brain cells in the innovative DishBrain system, unraveling the biological mechanisms that underpin this exceptional learning ability.
The grant will be instrumental in the development of AI machines capable of replicating the learning capacity of these biological neural networks. The ultimate goal is to scale up the hardware and methods, paving the way for a viable replacement for traditional in silico computing.
Conclusion:
Groundbreaking advances in synthetic biological intelligence open up unprecedented opportunities in the market. The fusion of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology creates a new frontier for programmable cyborg computing chips. As this technology progresses, it promises to revolutionize industries such as robotics, automation, and drug discovery. Companies and investors should keep a keen eye on this rapidly evolving field to stay ahead in a market that will undoubtedly be transformed by these innovative developments.
