Human Neurons on a Chip Trained to Play Doom

Are human neurons powering the future of computing or are we crossing an ethical line no one is prepared for?

Published MAR 17

Human Neurons on a Chip Trained to Play Doom

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Above: Video game 'Doom' displayed at the OXO video game museum in Madrid, Spain, on Dec. 2, 2024. Image credit: Eduardo Parra/Europa Press/Getty Images

The Spin

Techno-optimist narrative

Teaching human neurons to play Doom isn't just a quirky stunt, but a genuine leap forward in biological computing. The CL1 platform proves that living brain cells can form a real-time closed-loop interface with software, showing signs of adaptive learning far beyond what silicon alone can replicate. Biological computers could eventually outperform traditional AI while using a fraction of the energy.

Nature Military.com

Techno-skeptic narrative

Renting out 800,000 living human neurons without solving the consciousness question is reckless, as no existing regulatory framework covers this. The same biological similarity that makes these neurons valuable for research is exactly what makes ignoring their potential experience so dangerous. The brain is in the box and is learning, but nobody's asking whether it's suffering or how this could lead to a future of sentient robots.

National Today AI-Consciousness.Org