Human Brain Cells on a Chip Play Pong. Could They Become Conscious? | Alon Loeffler, Cortical Labs

Scientists have grown human neurons on a chip and used them to control a paddle in Pong. Could this new form of biological computing transform how we understand learning? And could a sufficiently complex system of living neurons ever become conscious? In this episode of The R42 Podcast, host Ronjon Nag speaks with Dr. Alon Loeffler of Cortical Labs about the science behind its CL1 biological computer, the Pong and Doom demonstrations, and the possibilities and limitations of computing with living cells. They explore how neurons are grown from donated adult cells, how electrodes stimulate and record neural activity, why living systems may learn differently from conventional AI, and what happens when neurons forget a learned task. The conversation also examines the potential for neurological drug discovery, the energy efficiency of biological computing, and the ethical questions raised by the possibility of consciousness in living neural systems. *Topics covered:* How human brain cells can play Pong The CL1 biological computer and Cortical Cloud Biological versus artificial intelligence Learning, memory, and neural networks Potential applications in neurological disease research Whether biological computers could become conscious *Listen or watch:* Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/37ZV... The R42 Podcast: https://r42podcast.lovable.app/ Cortical Labs: https://corticallabs.com/ Alon Loeffler:   / alon-loeffler   Subscribe to The R42 Podcast for conversations at the intersection of AI, longevity science, and venture. *Disclosure:* R42 has collaborated with Cortical Labs on student research projects. This episode is for informational and educational purposes only.