Can Genius be Manufactured?

On 25 August 2024, immerse yourself in the inspiring ambiance of The Lume, as we UNPACK GENIUS.

Last year, we shone the spotlight on AI, curated and delivered by our artificial friends and guided by our human team. Now, we UNPACK GENIUS.

Ahead of the unveiling of this year’s speakers, who will help us celebrate one of the greatest minds in history – DaVinci, here’s a thought-provoking take on modern-day genius.

In an era when AI and other forms of technology are increasingly enabling innovations related to every sphere of science, the work of a Melbourne-based biological computing startup raises the question: Can biological genius be manufactured?

In an effort to help us understand intelligence, research led by Brett Kagan of Cortical Labs has integrated cultured living brain cells with computer chips to create synthetic biological intelligence (SBI).

Titled DishBrain, the system was applied to a simulated game-world, mimicking the arcade game “Pong”. The experiment demonstrated the ability of the computer chips to record and stimulate the electrical activity of the maturing cells. The fused chips and cells formed neuronal networks that exhibited spontaneous electrical activity, resulting in apparent learning within five minutes of real-time gameplay.

In an article for The Royal Society of Victoria, Kagan says, “building a bridge between electrical signals and neuronal activity alone is not sufficient. We still need to figure out how to motivate neurons in a dish to act in any specific way, especially to achieve a goal or show an ‘intelligent’ response.”

“What we are hoping for is that SBI can offer the research community a simple model to help us understand intelligence.

He suggests SBI may provide a more sustainable alternative to the enormous data and power requirements of machine learning.

Kagan concludes, “harnessing even basic levels of biological intelligence could have numerous compelling applications. Perhaps it may even help answer the questions of: what is intelligence and how can we create a generally intelligent system?”

In an exclusive and intimate evening, we explore genius alongside one of the greatest minds in history - DaVinci. We’ll unpack the nature of genius across the many dimensions of DaVinci’s mind and talents while sitting next to writings written by the master himself!

Due to venue size, seats are strictly limited!