The Australian biotechnology startup Cortical Labs successfully taught artificially-grown human brain cells how to play the 2D table tennis simulation video game Pong.
The team created mini-brains consisting of up to one million living human brain cells in a petri dish. Then they attempted to teach it to play Pong by sending a signal to either the right or left array to indicate where the ball is. Then the neurons from the brain cells send signals back to move the paddle.
Since the mini-brains learned way quicker than current AI models, this development may lead to a new era in machine learning. It could also allow us one day to train our own brain cells to perform complicated tasks that normally take years to perfect, for example martial arts or flying helicopters.
What other applications do you see for teachable human brain cells? Does this scare you or excite you? Please let us know in the comments below.