The human brain is often said to be the most complicated object in the known universe, encompassing around 100 billion neurons arranged in a massive network, where each neuron is connected to approximately 10,000 others. Our superior aptitude to learn, interpret and think creatively has helped us to cure diseases, place humans on the Moon, and develop helpful computer programs that surround us in our everyday lives.
Computer power and capability has improved massively in the past few decades, and today a computer can solve a mathematical problem almost instantly, much faster than the human brain. Shops, schools, hospitals, and laboratories all use these machines as an integral part of their working systems.
These tools are highly capable at certain tasks but cannot yet match the brain’s most incredible attributes. Our sophisticated organ can interpret and process sensory data on an unparalleled scale; we can stand on the beach in the summer listening to the waves, watching the birds, and feeling the heat of the Sun, and compose all of that data into a cohesive setting. We can also learn and adapt from experiences.
Both attributes would be highly advantageous for a computer program to harness. An algorithm has recently been developed that is capable of analysing images from MRI scans to diagnose tumours or anomalies, and developers of artificial neural networks have also taken inspiration from the brain to produce programs that are capable of learning by practice.
These programs still have a long way to go to match the power of the world’s greatest supercomputers sat snugly in our heads, but by using the brain as a model, we are growing ever closer to inventing a truly powerful artificial intelligence.
