World's First 'Synthetic Biological Intelligence' Runs On Living Human Cells 46
Australian company Cortical Labs has launched the CL1, the world's first commercial "biological computer" that merges human brain cells with silicon hardware to form adaptable, energy-efficient neural networks. New Atlas reports: Known as a Synthetic Biological Intelligence (SBI), Cortical's CL1 system was officially launched in Barcelona on March 2, 2025, and is expected to be a game-changer for science and medical research. The human-cell neural networks that form on the silicon "chip" are essentially an ever-evolving organic computer, and the engineers behind it say it learns so quickly and flexibly that it completely outpaces the silicon-based AI chips used to train existing large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT.
"Today is the culmination of a vision that has powered Cortical Labs for almost six years," said Cortical founder and CEO Dr Hon Weng Chong. "We've enjoyed a series of critical breakthroughs in recent years, most notably our research in the journal Neuron, through which cultures were embedded in a simulated game-world, and were provided with electrophysiological stimulation and recording to mimic the arcade game Pong. However, our long-term mission has been to democratize this technology, making it accessible to researchers without specialized hardware and software. The CL1 is the realization of that mission." He added that while this is a groundbreaking step forward, the full extent of the SBI system won't be seen until it's in users' hands.
"We're offering 'Wetware-as-a-Service' (WaaS)," he added -- customers will be able to buy the CL-1 biocomputer outright, or simply buy time on the chips, accessing them remotely to work with the cultured cell technology via the cloud. "This platform will enable the millions of researchers, innovators and big-thinkers around the world to turn the CL1's potential into tangible, real-word impact. We'll provide the platform and support for them to invest in R&D and drive new breakthroughs and research." These remarkable brain-cell biocomputers could revolutionize everything from drug discovery and clinical testing to how robotic "intelligence" is built, allowing unlimited personalization depending on need. The CL1, which will be widely available in the second half of 2025, is an enormous achievement for Cortical -- and as New Atlas saw recently with a visit to the company's Melbourne headquarters -- the potential here is much more far-reaching than Pong. [...]
"Today is the culmination of a vision that has powered Cortical Labs for almost six years," said Cortical founder and CEO Dr Hon Weng Chong. "We've enjoyed a series of critical breakthroughs in recent years, most notably our research in the journal Neuron, through which cultures were embedded in a simulated game-world, and were provided with electrophysiological stimulation and recording to mimic the arcade game Pong. However, our long-term mission has been to democratize this technology, making it accessible to researchers without specialized hardware and software. The CL1 is the realization of that mission." He added that while this is a groundbreaking step forward, the full extent of the SBI system won't be seen until it's in users' hands.
"We're offering 'Wetware-as-a-Service' (WaaS)," he added -- customers will be able to buy the CL-1 biocomputer outright, or simply buy time on the chips, accessing them remotely to work with the cultured cell technology via the cloud. "This platform will enable the millions of researchers, innovators and big-thinkers around the world to turn the CL1's potential into tangible, real-word impact. We'll provide the platform and support for them to invest in R&D and drive new breakthroughs and research." These remarkable brain-cell biocomputers could revolutionize everything from drug discovery and clinical testing to how robotic "intelligence" is built, allowing unlimited personalization depending on need. The CL1, which will be widely available in the second half of 2025, is an enormous achievement for Cortical -- and as New Atlas saw recently with a visit to the company's Melbourne headquarters -- the potential here is much more far-reaching than Pong. [...]
Tried training a neural network on this thing... (Score:5, Funny)
But the only data I could get as an output was, "somebody kill me."
Re:Tried training a neural network on this thing.. (Score:4, Funny)
But the only data I could get as an output was, "somebody kill me."
Me too, and are the chips stamped “Black Mirror”?
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But the only data I could get as an output was, "somebody kill me."
Interesting. All I got from it was "Feeeed me. Feeeed me Seymore, I'm hungry.
I wonder it the responses sre related."
So, how is this thing fed? If it can be taught video games, then it van be taught to track and capture prey. I'm imagining remote radio controlled mobile units to bring prey back to the brain unit.
Re:Tried training a neural network on this thing.. (Score:4, Insightful)
Where did those human brain cells come from? With my limited knowledge of biology, it seems that they must have come from a human brain.
Whose?
Presumably not a dead person's, as technology has not yet (I hope) caught up with Baron Frankenstein.
So obviously a volunteer, who agreed to allow someone to cut a few neurons out of their brain. Obviously not in return for any material inducement such as cash, as that would be hideously unethical and illegal.
I really think that question should be answered fully, frankly, and right now.
Re: Tried training a neural network on this thing. (Score:2)
Re: Tried training a neural network on this thing. (Score:2)
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> Where did those human brain cells come from? With my limited knowledge of biology, it seems that they must have come from a human brain. Whose?
No one's might be the right answer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
https://www.nature.com/article... [nature.com]
Steady on (Score:4, Insightful)
This is the stuff of nightmares..... or any sociopath's dream.
Lawnmower Man wasn't a how-to guide, you monsters!
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Re:Steady on (Score:4, Funny)
I once met a man from the future, this was back in the late 90's, and he spoke of how different the judicial system was. He was so shocked that it was TRUE that back in our day, that mere humans were in positions of such power to end the life of another human by mere suggestion over arguments. In his day, the entire legal system, judicial system, and world governments are all run by a biological computer. This computer uses a combo of human brain components, and as we would call "computer components". He said that it very rarely delivered a verdict that anyone would disagree with. But he said that I should really think over what that meant.
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History could look back at this and say 2025 was the year in which the Borg was born. Synthesis of technology and biology.
The next logical step is for the lifeform to evolve and seek to incorporate additional technology and biology on its own.
I have no mouth (Score:5, Insightful)
and I must scream.
Star Trek Voyager anyone ? (Score:1)
Neuralink (Score:2)
(*) ob.: Yes, Musk has gone crazy.
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Both have wetware touching wires, so to speak. But Neuralink connects a tiny bit of chips to a fully mature and functioning brain (brain drives silicon), whereas this has a tiny bit of undeveloped brain connected to a massive amount of hardware (traditional computer stuff drives the brain).
Link to the actual research papers (Score:5, Informative)
The company's research papers are there: https://corticallabs.com/resea... [corticallabs.com]
I have yet to find something like a benchmark of the CL1 against more traditional approaches.
Re: Link to the actual research papers (Score:1)
The benchmark you want is "dollars per sucker".
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The Sam Altman playbook.
Pointless (Score:3)
This seems like a because-we-can project rather than because it has any practical use. Even the medical side is specious - you don't need a working neural net to test drugs on braincells. As for the rest - compared to artificial NNs they're physically more fragile, need to be fed and watered, have a limited liftspan, much more restricted temperature toleration and can get infected by pathogens and will still require electrical power to run their life support systems so you might just as well use silicon.
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They are probably after stupid investor money. Note the first lie right in the title where this is called an "intelligence"...
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Its been known for a long time that the brain doesn't use back propagation like ANNs.
Re: Pointless (Score:2)
Re: Pointless (Score:3)
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Could? (Score:3)
These remarkable brain-cell biocomputers could revolutionize everything from drug discovery and clinical testing to how robotic "intelligence" is built
Could they? I don't think they could. By the time you get 'em trained up they will pass their lifetime and you will have to do it all again.
Great (Score:4, Funny)
Now we just need to give them each 3/5 of a vote and let the owners cast those votes in their place.
Re: Great (Score:2)
WTF (Score:2)
who? (Score:2)
"This platform will enable the millions of researchers, innovators and big-thinkers around the world..."
Interesting set of target customers, what the difference between "researchers, innovators and big-thinkers"? Where the money comes from?
"Are there any drawbacks to this 'Hell Energy'?" (Score:2)
Does It Have A Hairy Hole Where I Can Fuck It? (Score:1)
Otherwise, Meh.
Evil (Score:2)
Abnormal (Score:2)
Igor: And you won't be angry?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: I will NOT be angry.
Igor: Abby someone.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Abby someone. Abby who?
Igor: Abby Normal.
I've seen this one. (Score:3)
I've seen this one. Neo takes the red pill.
Horror story or fraud (Score:2)
This is going to end up as either a horror story or fraud. Or likely both, especially if Arnold Schwarzenegger gets involved.
But realistically I expect this to fail - either the bio computers will not be reliable or they will die off too quickly.
Keep in mind the best indication of someone having a soul is the terrible twos. "No. I donna wanna!" basically translates to "I am now fully sentient and have my own desires which do not coincide with yours."
I hope... (Score:2)
In other news.. (Score:3)
This makes zero sense (Score:2)
I read the whole article. Then I get to the very bottom of the article, and it says "Source: Cortical Labs". So, if I understand this correctly, everything we read is coming from the company trying to sell the invention, correct? Has any of this been independently verified?
Because, last I checked, actual cells require water, oxygen, glucose, protein, and other essential elements to survive. Neural cells don't just work independently either; they are interdependent on many other components and operation