Hybrid brain-silicon computers now available for rent
Australian startup Cortical Labs just dropped the CL1, a computer that actually runs on 800,000 lab-grown human neurons mixed with silicon chips.
These living brain cells are kept alive on a special electrode array, letting the computer adapt and learn in real time.
If you're curious, you can rent it remotely for $300/week or buy one for $35,000.
How the neurons were grown
CL1's neurons come from adult skin and blood samples and grow on metal-and-glass electrodes inside a life-support system that carefully manages their environment.
This setup lets the "synthetic biological intelligence" process signals directly—so it learns way faster than regular AI models.
Living computers could revolutionize tech and medicine
Because CL1 uses real human neurons, scientists can test how brain cells react to drugs—like epilepsy treatments—in totally new ways.
Plus, these living computers offer flexible, low-power computing thanks to billions of years of evolution (though each batch of neurons lasts about six months).
It's a fresh take on AI that could shake up both medicine and tech research.