Cortical Labs Pioneers Biological Data Centers Using Human Brain Cells

Cortical Labs, an Australia-based biotech startup, is developing two biological data centers powered by human brain cells. The first facility is located in Melbourne, housing 120 CL1 units, while a second, in partnership with DayOne Data Centers, is under construction in Singapore and aims to deploy up to 1,000 units in phases. These biological computers utilize neurons grown from human blood stem cells, which are placed on silicon chips equipped with multi-electrode arrays. This setup allows the chips to send electrical signals to the neurons and interpret their responses as computational output.

BloombergGizmodoAustralian Startup Develops Data Centres Using Human Brain Cells

The initiative comes amid growing concerns over the energy consumption of traditional data centers, particularly as major tech companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft expand their AI capabilities. Cortical Labs claims that its CL1 units consume significantly less power than conventional processors, with each unit requiring only about 30 watts—less than a handheld calculator. This energy efficiency is critical as the demand for computing power surges, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence.

Bloomberg

Cortical Labs has made notable strides in demonstrating the capabilities of its biological computers. Earlier achievements include training neurons to play the video games Pong and Doom. The company’s technology is still in its infancy, with experts acknowledging that while the systems can perform simple tasks, the full potential and operational mechanics of biological computing remain largely unexplored. Michael Barros from the University of Essex noted that Cortical Labs is making biological computing accessible at a larger scale, which could facilitate further research and development.

New Scientist

Despite the promising developments, experts caution that the technology is still far from being production-ready. Tjeerd olde Scheper from Oxford Brookes University expressed skepticism about the immediate viability of biological data centers, emphasizing that significant challenges remain, such as how to store and retrain the neurons after their life cycle ends. Reinhold Scherer also highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the programming of neurons compared to traditional computing systems.

New Scientist

Cortical Labs' CEO, Hon Weng Chong, stated that the biological data centers could lead to substantial energy savings as they scale up. He emphasized the potential of these systems to address the pressing energy demands of AI technologies. However, the company has not publicly addressed the long-term sustainability of maintaining the biological components of their systems.

Australian Startup Develops Data Centres Using Human Brain Cells

Cortical Labs plans to validate its technology through the initial deployment at the National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. The phased expansion of the Singapore facility aims to test the biological computing systems under real-world conditions, potentially paving the way for broader commercial applications in the future.

Bloomberg

• “Hon Weng Chong, the upstart’s founder and chief executive officer, said in an interview that each CL1 unit uses less power than a handheld calculator.” — Hon Weng Chong, CEO of Cortical Labs

Bloomberg

• “What [Cortical Labs] is doing is essentially allowing its biocomputer to be accessible at a large scale,” — Michael Barros, University of Essex

New Scientist

• “Is it going to work as people might think? No, we’re still in the early days of this development.” — Tjeerd olde Scheper, Oxford Brookes University

New Scientist

Cortical Labs' innovative approach to data centers represents a significant step toward addressing the energy challenges posed by the AI boom, although the technology's practical applications and limitations remain to be fully understood.

Gizmodo