New data center will be partially powered by human brain cells for the first time

Technology Computing New data center will be partially powered by human brain cells for the first time News By Carly Page published 28 April 2026 A startup is experimenting with data centers powered by lab-grown human neurons, testing whether living cells can offer a more efficient alternative to traditional computing. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Yuichiro Chino via Getty Images) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter An Australian startup is building what could become one of the world's first "biological data centers" — augmenting silicon computing chips with those seeded with living human neurons.Cortical Labs, the company behind the effort, has opened its first facility in Melbourne, Australia, and is planning a larger site in Singapore. Instead of racks filled entirely with traditional servers, these sites will house the company's CL1 systems, which combine lab-grown neurons with standard electronic components. The aim is not to replace silicon outright but to explore whether living neural systems can complement existing hardware in specific computing tasks.The concept has a deceptively simple premise: Neurons are already information processors. Neurons in the brain pass electrical signals between each other, forming patterns that change over time. Some of these connections get stronger, while others weaken, creating a constant reshaping that underpins learning. Traditional chips don't behave like that, since they follow set instructions instead of adjusting based on feedback. You may like Scientists invent artificial neurons that 'talk' to real brain cells, paving way to better brain implants What's the biggest bottleneck to building better AI? It's no longer the lack of computing resources — it's generating enough energy to feed it 'Thermodynamic computer' can mimic AI neural networks — using orders of magnitude less energy to generate images Researchers have spent years trying to harness biological learning. In earlier work published in the journal Neuron, Cortical Labs researchers grew neurons on a chip and then taught them to play a simplified version of Pong by connecting them to a simulated environment. This feat relied on a closed feedback loop: When the neurons produced useful behavior, the inputs became more predictable; when they didn't, the signals grew more chaotic. Over time, the neurons settled into more stable patterns.That same principle underpins more recent demonstrations, including experiments where similar systems interacted with simplified versions of the game Doom. These setups remain highly constrained, but they show that living neural networks can be nudged toward goal-directed behavior when embedded in a feedback-driven system.Living computer chipsThe CL1 system is a hybrid device, with each unit containing roughly 200,000 human neurons derived from stem cells and grown directly onto a silicon chip. Those neurons are arranged across a microelectrode array, which acts as the interface between biology and electronics. The electrodes can stimulate the cells with electrical signals and record the resulting activity in real time.Surrounding this is a life-support system that keeps the cells alive, provides nutrients, regulates temperature, and maintains a stable…

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