Despite AI's impressive track record, its computational power pales in comparison with that of the human brain. Scientists unveil a revolutionary path to drive computing forward: organoid intelligence (OI), where lab-grown brain organoids serve as biological hardware. "This new field of biocomputing promises unprecedented advances in computing speed, processing power, data efficiency, and storage capabilities – all with lower energy needs," say the authors in an article published in Frontiers in Science. Artificial intelligence (AI) has long been inspired by the human brain. This approach proved highly successful: AI boasts impressive achievements – from diagnosing medical conditions to composing poetry.

Organoids are lab-grown tissues that resemble organs. These three-dimensional structures, usually derived from stem cells, have been used in labs for nearly two decades, where scientists have been able to avoid harmful human or animal testing by experimenting on the stand-ins for kidneys, lungs and other organs. Brain organoids don't actually resemble tiny versions of the human brain, but the pen dot-size cell cultures contain neurons that are capable of brainlike functions, forming a multitude of connections. Scientists call the phenomenon "intelligence in a dish." This magnified image shows a brain organoid produced in Hartung's lab.

Computers powered by human brain cells may sound like science fiction, but a team of researchers in the United States believes such machines, part of a new field called "organoid intelligence," could shape the future -- and now they have a plan to get there. Organoids are lab-grown tissues that resemble organs. These three-dimensional structures, usually derived from stem cells, have been used in labs for nearly two decades, where scientists have been able to avoid harmful human or animal testing by experimenting on the stand-ins for kidneys, lungs and other organs. Brain organoids don't actually resemble tiny versions of the human brain, but the pen dot-size cell cultures contain neurons that are capable of brainlike functions, forming a multitude of connections. Scientists call the phenomenon "intelligence in a dish."

Researchers from John Hopkins University and Cortical Labs suggest that it's time to create a new type of computer that uses biological components. They believe that biological computers could outperform electronic computers in certain applications and use significantly less electricity. The future of computing includes biology says an international team of scientists. The time has come to create a new kind of computer, say researchers from John Hopkins University together with Dr. Brett Kagan, chief scientist at Cortical Labs in Melbourne, who recently led development of the DishBrain project, in which human cells in a petri dish learned to play Pong. In an article published on February 27 in the journal Frontiers in Science, the team outlines how biological computers could surpass today's electronic computers for certain applications while using a small fraction of the electricity required by today's computers and server farms.

For decades, the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has aimed to create computers that have the capabilities of a human brain. Now, a new study proposes a'new frontier' for computing called'organoid intelligence' (OI) that could surpass the learning capabilities of any machine. OI uses organoids – tiny lab-grown tissue resembling fully grown organs – as a form of'biological hardware' and potentially a smarter alternative to the silicon chips in AI. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore think a'biocomputer' powered by an organoid made up of millions of human brain cells could be developed within our lifetime. While previous studies have questioned whether a biocomputer would cross an'ethical line', the team says organoids would be used in a safe and'ethically responsible manner'.