The First Computer To Simulate The Complete Human Brain Is About To Be Switched On

In the relentless pursuit of advancing artificial intelligence (AI), Australian researchers are on the brink of unveiling a groundbreaking innovation: the DeepSouth neuromorphic supercomputer. This technological marvel, set to go online in April 2024, is poised to become the first machine capable of simulating spiking neural networks at the scale of the human brain.

The DeepSouth supercomputer, created by a team from Western Sydney University, has the processing capacity of the human brain with an astounding 228 trillion synaptic operations per second, making it the world’s most efficient learning engine. Professor André van Schaik, the director of the International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems, highlights how the slowness and high power consumption of conventional computers when simulating brain-like networks impede the advancement of large-scale understanding of neural computation.

The key innovation lies in DeepSouth’s adoption of spiking neural networks, inspired by the energy-efficient and highly effective nature of the human brain. Unlike traditional GPUs and multicore CPUs, this neuromorphic approach is expected to revolutionize computing, offering unparalleled speed and efficiency. Moreover, in a world grappling with the environmental implications of increasing computational demands, DeepSouth presents a solution by consuming significantly less energy while performing complex tasks.

The modular and scalable nature of the DeepSouth supercomputer, utilizing readily available hardware, allows for future expansion or contraction to accommodate diverse tasks. The overarching goal is to bring AI processing closer to the nuanced functioning of the human brain, fostering advancements in fields such as sensing, biomedical research, robotics, space exploration, and large-scale AI applications.

As technology progresses, it’s intriguing to note that researchers elsewhere are tackling the challenge from an entirely different perspective—integrating actual human brain tissue into cyborg computer chips. The synergy of these diverse approaches promises to propel AI into new frontiers, offering unprecedented insights into the intricacies of the human brain while revolutionizing the landscape of computing. The era of AI is dawning, and the DeepSouth neuromorphic supercomputer stands as a testament to the relentless pursuit of emulating the extraordinary capabilities of the human mind.