This is truly exciting - even if the project does not achieve the final goal of 'simulating' the human brain, the discoveries along the way will be invaluable.
New $1.6B supercomputer project will attempt to simulate the human brain
21–30 of 79 posts
Re: New $1.6B supercomputer project will attempt to simulate the human brain
#22I think this is a bad idea on so many levels. But all those aside, just think of all the other research that’s not getting funded because of these assholes.
Re: New $1.6B supercomputer project will attempt to simulate the human brain
#23I for one welcome our new supercomputer overlords.
Re: New $1.6B supercomputer project will attempt to simulate the human brain
#24"...an international group of researchers has secured $1.6 billion..." An international group of researchers has scammed $1.6 billion away. And that's with EU taxpayers money. Do you really think that anyone involved in deciding to allow that kind of spending has any idea as to where we're at nowadays regarding AI? Did any of them read "On Intelligence" (its author knowing more than a thing or two about AI)? I'm sure…
Their goal is not to create an AI, it is to create a model of the human brain. If you look at their website, you will notice the project is very much a neuroscience research project, not a computer science, AI, research project. The fact that the technical implantation of this project requires specially designed computers and highly algorithms (which will likely merit their own computer science papers), and the fact…
It seems to me that building a complete model of the human brain would necessarily be identical to creating a strong AI. If they build an incomplete model of a human brain then they have nonetheless created an (incomplete) strong AI.
Re: New $1.6B supercomputer project will attempt to simulate the human brain
#25I would feel less skeptical about the prospects for simulating the human brain if I had heard that someone had succeeded in simulating an infinitely simpler nervous system, say that of a spider, for instance, and obtained spider-like behavior from it.
Not a spider, but how about C. elegans? http://openworm.org/ https://github.com/openworm http://nemaload.davidad.org/ http://diyhpl.us/~bryan/papers2/neuro/nematodeuploadproject/
Those don't really work, though: http://lesswrong.com/lw/88g/whole_brain_emulation_looking_at...
From the Human Brain Project http://www.humanbrainproject.eu/neuroscience.html
Why not begin with simple organisms like C.elegans?
There are two problems here. The first is feasibility; the second is the relevance of our results. Feasibility. Neuroscientists have mapped all of C.elegans’ 300 or so neurons. However, enormous amounts of key data needed are still missing. For instance we do not have enough data on the physiology and pharmacology of C. Elegans neurons and synapses. And we still have limited data on the distribution of ion channels, receptors and other proteins on neurons, synapses and glia. Without this data we cannot build unifying models. A second problem is how easy it is to obtain the data. The crucial requirement for unifying models is the ability to access the data needed. Obtaining a deep understanding of the molecular machinery of a single neuron or a single synapse is just as difficult in C. Elegans as in human beings. And many datasets – particularly data on cognition - are actually easier to acquire in rodents, or even in humans. So we can’t just say: “let’s do this quickly in worms and do complex brains later”: we have to solve the same basic challenges, whatever brain we model. What we are actually doing is building a generic strategy we can use to reconstruct any brain. Relevance: Studying the “simple” nervous systems of organisms like C.elegans or drosophila, is obviously very important, particularly for molecular and genetic studies. However the organization, electrophysiology and function of the mammalian brain are quite different. One of the HBP’s most important goals is to contribute to the development of new treatments for brain disease. But pharmaceutical companies already have great difficulties in translating results from mouse to human beings; with simpler organisms these problems become much worse. If we want to make a real contribution to clinical research, it is probably unwise to invest heavily in simple systems, so distant from the human brain.
Re: New $1.6B supercomputer project will attempt to simulate the human brain
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not a spider, but how about C. elegans? http://openworm.org/ https://github.com/openworm http://nemaload.davidad.org/ http://diyhpl.us/~bryan/papers2/neuro/nematodeuploadproject/
Those don't really work, though: http://lesswrong.com/lw/88g/whole_brain_emulation_looking_at... From the Human Brain Project http://www.humanbrainproject.eu/neuroscience.html Why not begin with simple organisms like C.elegans? There are two problems here. The first is feasibility; the second is the relevance of our results. Feasibility. Neuroscientists have mapped all of C.elegans’ 300 or so neurons. However, enormo…
I never claimed that the physiology of C. elegans should be preferred over that of the human brain.
Re: New $1.6B supercomputer project will attempt to simulate the human brain
#27Hopefully they don't put Windows on that computer..
Re: New $1.6B supercomputer project will attempt to simulate the human brain
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
Those don't really work, though: http://lesswrong.com/lw/88g/whole_brain_emulation_looking_at... From the Human Brain Project http://www.humanbrainproject.eu/neuroscience.html Why not begin with simple organisms like C.elegans? There are two problems here. The first is feasibility; the second is the relevance of our results. Feasibility. Neuroscientists have mapped all of C.elegans’ 300 or so neurons. However, enormo…
I never claimed that the physiology of C. elegans should be preferred over that of the human brain.
No offense intended, I'm just trying to contribute to the discussion.
Re: New $1.6B supercomputer project will attempt to simulate the human brain
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
Their goal is not to create an AI, it is to create a model of the human brain. If you look at their website, you will notice the project is very much a neuroscience research project, not a computer science, AI, research project. The fact that the technical implantation of this project requires specially designed computers and highly algorithms (which will likely merit their own computer science papers), and the fact…
It seems to me that building a complete model of the human brain would necessarily be identical to creating a strong AI. If they build an incomplete model of a human brain then they have nonetheless created an (incomplete) strong AI.
> identical to creating Strong AI
One of the wonderful joys of brain emulation is that you don't have to worry about "designing intelligence into it". Your goal is different; your goal is the human brain itself, without our historical baggage of abstractions like souls, minds, consciousness or intelligence. What if all of those ideas are wrong?
Re: New $1.6B supercomputer project will attempt to simulate the human brain
#30A Terminator Skynet scenario is currently playing out in my head. I wonder how long after this human brain simulation runs it takes for it to become self aware and starts attacking us? In all seriousness, if this works this could potentially unlock so many mysteries and help solve & understand a plethora of medical issues like mental illness. We are living in extraordinary times.