As prominent artificial intelligence (AI) researchers eye limits to the current phase of the technology, a different approach is gaining attention: using living human brain cells as computational hardware.

These "biocomputers" are still in their early days. They can play simple games such as Pong, and perform basic speech recognition .

But the excitement is fuelled by three converging trends.

First, venture capital is flowing into anything adjacent to AI , making speculative ideas suddenly fundable.

Second, techniques for growing brain tissue outside the body have matured , with the pharmaceutical industry jumping on board.

Third, rapid advances in brain–computer interfaces have seen growing acceptance of technologies that blur the line between biology and machines.

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