Scientists Make Breakthrough That Allows Lab-Grown Brain Cells To Play A Sort Of Video Game

A cluster of lab-grown human brain cells has apparently made the leap to successfully playing a very rudimentary video game without the benefit of eyes, ears, or any kind of sensory input. It’s a far cry from playing something more complex, but it represents a major step forward for research.

According to UC Santa Cruz researchers (via Gadget Review), researchers successfully coached their brain organoids to solve a “cart-pole” problem, which is a lot like balancing a digital broomstick. AI systems are tested on the same basis, but the brain cells’ success rate is said to have jumped from 4.5% to 46% after training them to perform using electronic signals as punishments when incorrect and rewards when the input was used correctly.

That may not sound like much compared to what AI can do, but it’s considered a breakthrough that demonstrates the brain power that even these tiny organoids possess. This could potentially be harnessed in the future for even more complex tasks.

As noted in the report, research and testing for bioelectrical interfaces that can connect directly with brain tissue is already underway at Northwestern University. The end result of those tests and similar research could lead to AI combined with or powered by real human brain cells in the future. For now, that remains a theoretical outcome. But it appears to be more of a possibility than it was in the past.

Meanwhile, AI is taking up a larger space in the video game industry. Activision Blizzard has confirmed that some AI-generative content was used in Call of Duty. Newly promoted Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma previously led the company’s AI division. But she has also said that wants to avoid “soulless AI slop” and that she has “no tolerance for bad AI.”

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