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Scientists Working on Merging AI With Human Brain Cells

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Summary

A team of researchers received a $600,000 grant from Australia's Office of National Intelligence to study ways of merging human brain cells with artificial intelligence. The researchers have already demonstrated how a cluster of roughly 800,000 brain cells in a Petri dish is capable of playing a game of "Pong". The goal is to create machines with the same learning capacity as human brain cells and the grant money will be used to develop better AI machines that can replicate this learning capacity. The research has potential implications for robotics, automation, brain-machine interfaces, and drug discovery.

Q&As

What is the purpose of the grant awarded to a team of researchers by Australia's Office of National Intelligence?
The purpose of the grant awarded to a team of researchers by Australia's Office of National Intelligence is to study ways of merging human brain cells with artificial intelligence.

What are the implications of this research for areas such as robotics, drug discovery and brain-machine interfaces?
The implications of this research for areas such as robotics, drug discovery and brain-machine interfaces are that it could allow a machine intelligence to "learn throughout its lifetime" like human brain cells, allowing it to learn new skills without losing old ones, as well as applying existing knowledge to new tasks.

How does the team plan to investigate the process of "continual lifelong learning"?
The team plans to investigate the process of "continual lifelong learning" by growing brain cells in a lab dish called the DishBrain system.

What is the DishBrain system used to grow brain cells in a lab dish?
The DishBrain system is used to grow brain cells in a lab dish.

What are the potential benefits of merging biology with AI?
The potential benefits of merging biology with AI are that it could forge new frontiers for machine learning tech for self-driving cars, autonomous drones, or delivery robots, and could allow a machine intelligence to "learn throughout its lifetime" like human brain cells, allowing it to learn new skills without losing old ones, as well as applying existing knowledge to new tasks.

AI Comments

👍 This new technology has the potential to revolutionize AI in many ways, from self-driving cars to autonomous drones. The research team's ambitious project has the potential to have a significant impact across multiple fields.

👎 The research is still in its early stages and may take a long time to complete, meaning its implications for the future are still largely unknown. Additionally, the research is funded by the government and may lead to unintended consequences.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about scientists working on merging AI with human brain cells. They got a $600,000 grant from the Australian government and have successfully demonstrated how a cluster of 800,000 brain cells in a Petri dish can play a game of Pong.

Friend: Wow! That's amazing. What are the implications of this research?

Me: The implications are huge. AI machines could potentially learn throughout their lifetime and apply existing knowledge to new tasks. This could be a major breakthrough for self-driving cars, autonomous drones, or delivery robots. On the other hand, it could raise ethical questions about the use of AI and whether we should be merging biology with technology.

Action items

Research the current advancements in AI and machine learning technology to gain a better understanding of the potential implications of merging AI with human brain cells.
Follow the progress of the research team at Monarch University and Cortical Labs to stay up to date on their progress.
Reach out to experts in the field to gain a better understanding of the potential implications of this technology.

Technical terms

AI (Artificial Intelligence): AI is a type of computer technology that is designed to mimic human intelligence and behavior.
Silicon-Based Hardware: Silicon-based hardware is a type of computer hardware that is made from silicon, a semiconductor material.
Petri Dish: A Petri dish is a shallow, circular glass or plastic lidded dish that is used to culture cells and small organisms.
In Silico: In silico is a term used to describe the use of computer simulations to study biological processes.
DishBrain System: The DishBrain system is a lab dish designed to grow brain cells in order to investigate the process of continual lifelong learning.