Cortical Labs, an Australian startup, is building the world's first biological data center, combining human neurons with silicon chips to enhance computational performance.

Cortical Labs, an Australian company, aims to develop the world's first 'biological data center', with the goal of improving the performance of silicon chips by integrating human neurons. The company has opened a facility in Melbourne and plans to expand to Singapore. The company's CL1 systems combine lab-grown neurons with electronic components, aiming to complement existing hardware in certain computational tasks. Neurons function as information processors, with the ability to adapt and learn from feedback, unlike traditional chips. Although biological systems offer a different model and energy efficiency, challenges related to scalability, reproducibility, and ethics remain significant. The Cortical Labs project represents an early exploration of biological computing, aiming to find viable alternatives to silicon-based technology.