Lab-Grown Human Brain Cells Power Video Games: The Energy-Saving Future of AI or a Disturbing Et

Researchers at Cortical Labs have created a computer system that runs on living human brain cells, demonstrating the ability to play games like Doom. The motivation is energy efficiency: AI consumes vast amounts of electricity, and biological neurons use only about 20 watts. The system, called DishBrain, uses neurons grown on a multi-electrode array. In 2008, rat neurons were first connected to a robot, and later lamprey neurons were used.

The key principle is that neurons avoid chaos and seek predictability, based on the free energy principle. The neurons learned to play Pong by receiving predictable signals when they hit the ball and random noise when they missed.

The latest version, CL1, contains 200,000 cells and can play Doom. However, this raises ethical concerns about creating sentient beings. Some scientists worry about hype and the potential for suffering. The debate touches on the nature of consciousness and whether intelligence requires feeling. While the technology could revolutionize computing and drug testing, it also poses profound questions about the moral status of these mini-brains.