A new article published in Frontiers by researchers at John Hopkins University (JHU) discusses how organoid intelligence (OI) could be a significant advancement in biocomputing. OI is a field that combines 3D cultures of human brain cells with brain-machine interface technologies to create biological hardware that mimics human brain structure and function. This technology could potentially be more efficient and powerful than current computers running AI programs.
The JHU team believes that OI can be a game-changer in medicine, helping researchers explore various neurological disorders and even make drug testing more efficient. However, they also realize that with such a revolutionary technology, there is a need for ethical considerations. To address this, the team suggests taking an “embedded ethics” approach. This means bringing together a diverse team of experts, including ethicists, researchers, and members of the public, to ensure that all perspectives are considered when developing OI. By doing so, the team hopes to create a technology that not only benefits society but also takes into account the ethical concerns that may arise.
While this technology is not yet ready for deployment, the researchers view their article as a starting point for further research. With functional brain organoids already in existence, the team is working to optimize the system by demonstrating key molecular and cellular aspects of long-term learning
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