World's first commercial biological computer is here, powered by human brain cells

In brief: An unconventional form of artificial intelligence is taking shape in a nondescript laboratory in Melbourne, Australia. Cortical Labs has unveiled CL1 – an AI computer that fuses real human brain cells with silicon hardware. Remarkably, it's been launched commercially as the "world's first commercialized biological computer." At first glance, the CL1 looks like a rather unconventional PC with a small, horizontal form factor. But that's where the similarity ends. Inside, the CL1 houses hundreds of thousands of lab-grown human neurons cultivated from stem cells derived from blood samples. These neurons form networks on a silicon "chip" and interface with a computer system, allowing them to receive data, process that information, and produce outputs through their neural firing patterns. The engineers describe these networks as an ever-evolving organic computer that learns quickly and flexibly. Brett Kagan, Cortical Labs' Chief Science Officer, explained to ABC News that the co ... Read full article.