What is neuromorphic computing?

This article is part of Demystifying AI, a series of posts that (try to) disambiguate the jargon and myths surrounding AI. In July, a group of artificial intelligence researchers showcased a self-driving bicycle that could navigate around obstacles, follow a person, and respond to voice commands. While the self-driving bike itself was of little use, the AI technology behind it was remarkable. Powering the bicycle was a neuromorphic chip, a special kind of AI computer. Neuromorphic computing is not new.