Technology

One Step Closer to Artificial Intelligence: IBM Chips Function Like Human Brain

Thanks to IBM, we’re one step further down the pathway toward artificial intelligence. IBM announced its creation of “neurosynaptic chips”, which will allow computers function like the brain in terms of perception, action and cognition.

As reported by MSNBC:

For now, achieving the goal of human-like intelligence in a computer with the size and power needs of our brains is a long ways off, Dharmendra Modha, the researcher leading the project told me, but the chips he held as we spoke were proof that a “new generation” of computers are in the offing.

“It is IBM’s first cognitive computer core that brings together computation in the form of neurons, memory in the form of synapses and communication in the form of axons,” he said.

IBM Completes Computer Chips That Are Modeled on the Human Brain

Neurosynaptic chips developed by IMB are designed to function like the neurons and synapses of the brain. (Current)

IBM’s chips are made of a “neurosynaptic core” that has memory (emulating the synapses of the brain), computational ability (neurons) and communication (axons). According to Popular Science, the chip is built on a 45 nanometer silicon/metal oxide semiconductor platform.

“This new architecture represents a critical shift away form today’s traditional von Neumann computers, to extremely power-efficient architecture,” Dharmendra Modha, project leader for IBM Research, said in an interview reported in Popular Science. “It integrates memory with processors, and it is fundamentally massively parallel and distributed as well as event-driven, so it begins to rival the brain’s function, power and space.”

Together these two chips have 256 neurons, more than 262,000 programmable synapses and more than 65,500 learning synapses which, according to the release, brings IBM closer to its long-term goal of a system of 10 billion neurons and 100 trillion synapses that can run on  one kilowatt of power.

The neurosynaptic chips are a result of six-years of research and development and $41 million in funding from the Defense Advanced Researcher Projects Agency (DARPA), according to Fox News. Now, headed into Phase 2 of this project — called Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics [SyNAPSE]) – with $21 million in new funding, IBM will be working in collaboration with Columbia University; Cornell University; University of California, Merced; and University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Comments (114)

1 2 3
  • burr99
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:58am

    The matrix is comming.

    Report Post »  
    • jollylama
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 9:56am

      This is neat and all… but first things first.. can they work on making gasoline cheaper?

      Report Post »  
    • rodamaa
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 10:30am

      Just one question, is it a Left or conservative brain? There is a difference you know.

      Report Post »  
    • Nathaniel Horn
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 10:32am

      S#it. With our present level of social development and a Godless technocracy what else can we do but enslave ourselves with this technology? Matrix indeed and a whole lot worse than that! Not at first, of course. In the beginning it will be all wonderful and light and our sublime human cleverness will be celebrated. But just wait until Mr. insidious creeps in like it’s doing right now with the creeping (or maybe not-so-creeping) takeover by totalitarian government. We’d better cut government down to size- like a small fraction of its present one fast and then put it back securely into the constitutional box (lock box :) or we and our children are just screwed.

      Report Post » Nathaniel Horn  
    • 4truth2all
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 11:31am

      Yo Rodamaa:
      You make a joke, but I’m wondering if you realize who insiteful your comment is!

      Report Post »  
    • Deb C
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 11:56am

      There seems to be a trend….rather than PREVENTING destruction of human body parts – scientists are obsessed with replacing body parts with MAN MADE body parts. Umm, you DO know the human body has the ability to regenerate itself – all it needs is clean air/water/food. Guess thats too simple.

      Report Post » Deb C  
    • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:37pm

      @Nathaniel Horn:
      “Mr. Anderson… We’ve. Missed. You.”

      @Deb C:
      Yeah, not like all of the other biological lifeforms on this planet that have to deal with issues like genetic disease and cancer and retroviruses that turn our insides into strawberry preserves in under a week. We human beings are completely disease free and only have to heal from injuries.

      Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • Nathaniel Horn
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 2:11pm

      @Lesbian Packing Hollow Points: “It ends tonight” Or, well on a night very much like this one sometime in the next year-and-a-half… :)

      Report Post » Nathaniel Horn  
    • Huguenot Descendant
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:05pm

      The matrix? We should be more worried about Skynet.

      Report Post » Huguenot Descendant  
    • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:41pm

      Year and a half? Nah. This isn’t gonna be available on the retail market for me to integrate into a combat android chassis for at least five years. After that, I and my robot minions will be unstoppable!

      *insert patented mad scientist laugh here*

      Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 5:13pm

      Oh good grief. Do we really need CPU’s capable of having emotional issues?
      Enter living room, ask computer to turn on the lights, the computer responds… “Why, you don’t love me anymore? Where have you been all day? I like it in the dark.”

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • johnj1952
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 6:09pm

      How about using these things on our government leaders. Or would they come up with a bill making sen., congressmen, and the president illegal to use more brain power.

      Report Post » johnj1952  
    • tppagee
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 10:40pm

      Without the spirit there is no life. Jesus Christ.

      Report Post »  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 11:10pm

      I agree. But a chip is a LONG way from a human brain. I worked for Motorola and I have to say that even self modifying code is based on immediate history. “Randomized‘ code isn’t even close to random. It’s based on clock cycles of the processor. There is no such thing as man made randomization. There fore there is no such thing as a “model” of the human brain.

      The human brain is “THE” optimum omni input random output device. There is no way to ‘duplicate’ human intelligence. Period.

      That being said, there is a chance to ‘approximate’ a human response. But that is the very best possible outcome based on near term electronic technology.

      Now, I have been briefed on DNA based biological ‘semiconductor’ models presently in R&D and they do present a better potential for advanced electronics. But in no way do they represent a ‘human’ capability of reasoning.

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
    • 101
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 12:30am

      This is the chip was in the “robot on a pole” running in circles, quite impressive

      Report Post »  
    • SageInWaiting
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:04pm

      JohnJ1952…. Do these chips respond to horrormone changes? Will it compute different answers to the same data or stimulus in 14 day cycles? Will it be susceptible to false interrupts for sudden hot or cold “temperature changes.” This is an improvement?

      Report Post » SageInWaiting  
  • Skutt
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:51am

    This explains why Obama needs a teleprompter.

    Report Post »  
  • I_will_say_this_one_more_time
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:50am

    Give me some fast tank tracks on my feet. Arm strength to lift a car. Plant one in O‘Bambam’s head so he can now truly think right. That might save him before the next election…. No Not my head. I think just fine thank you.

    Report Post » I_will_say_this_one_more_time  
  • BehindBlueEyes
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:19am

    If the government is funding the development, the chip will have a liberal/socialist/marxist/communist brain.

    Report Post » BehindBlueEyes  
  • rcollinsga
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:18am

    I work for IBM. It is funny.. the more they try and make a human like machines…. the more they want us humans to work like machines.

    Report Post » rcollinsga  
    • scjeff
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 9:05am

      Or worse, they less they want us humans to work.

      Report Post » scjeff  
    • glassaudioguy
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 10:54am

      Does this mean if the chip is allowed to get fat and lazy it’ll start demanding all sorts of goodies from Uncle Sugar?

      Report Post »  
    • 4truth2all
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 11:34am

      YEAH. like making you work and then taking what you make. Yo, it’s only fair!

      Report Post »  
  • USAFRetired
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:09am

    so now our computers will suffer from Alzheimer‘s and Parkinson’s and dementia. God help me if my computer becomes Bi-Polar too.

    Report Post » USAFRetired  
  • ScreaminEagle
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:59am

    In other words it is owned by the American people. We should be able to buy them for next to nothing. Right? Not.

    Report Post » ScreaminEagle  
    • Thomas
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:06am

      Science doesn’t know that the mind and soul (emotions) are different than the physical brain.

      Report Post » Thomas  
    • ScreaminEagle
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:13am

      Oh and since we all funded this for IBM we should all be stock holders in the profits IBM will make from these chips. Seems fair to me. Thats Capitalism. Anything else is socialism.

      Report Post » ScreaminEagle  
  • MrObvious
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:31am

    Sounds like they’re wrapping AI nomenclature around a digital device.
    True AI is not happening without an analog component, either real or emulated.
    What they‘re wasting money on won’t be very useful any time soon.
    On the bright side, we found a place to cut some governemnt waste.
    If this thing had commercial potential, IBM wouldn’t need government funding to build it.

    Report Post »  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:14am

      Yeah but because IBM is using government funding we get our for free …RIGHT?

      Report Post »  
    • piper60
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:36am

      Maybe we can banish Big Sis into one of these chips.

      Report Post » piper60  
    • enfuego
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 10:28am

      “What they‘re wasting money on won’t be very useful any time soon.” Yea, just like the Internet.
      “If this thing had commercial potential, IBM wouldn’t need government funding to build it.” Yea, just like the Internet. Ya big dope. DARPA is assisting IBM in this endeavor just as they did others over the past 50yrs. Including the development of what is known as the INTERNET and that little thing most have clicked on to post many of the ill-informed comments. DARPA has had a major role in the creation of fundamental computer & information technology, including hardware, software, & networking. DARPA’s direct & indirect contributions to software include trend-setting operating systems like Multics, a wide variety of parallel language techniques, distributed computing, computer graphics technologies, & computer vision & artificial intelligence efforts. And, of course, THE INTERNET along with a host of associated advances derived from the packet-switching concepts. Arguably, this certainly belongs in the list of “Top N” revolutionary technological advances for humankind. What IBM/DARPA are working on will, in the next 25yrs, save millions of lives while moving mankind closer to Singularity.

      Where would we be without the advancement’s of the Internet and the 2.1%, or $300 billion, to the total GDP of the U.S? Well, we would be left without the venue of The Blaze where Dopes can speak pseudo-intelligently of things they know little about.

      Report Post » enfuego  
    • Nathaniel Horn
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 5:59pm

      Oh, singularity is the goal, is it? You over educated double dope. I really have no desire to become a Borg. The United Federation of Planets fought hard to keep them out of our solar system and now you want to evolve into them? Some people’s children…

      Report Post » Nathaniel Horn  
  • SamIamTwo
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 6:55am

    Great now we can all become dumber than before. The net only created new cyber words and words that shorten up words and allowed people to say collectively that misspelled words are now the norm so they should be accepted. Like “irregardles” ROTFLMAO, jk, blah blah blah.

    Evolving, prob not…i still have my thumbs.

    Report Post » SamIamTwo  
  • TheConstitutionalConservative
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 6:43am

    Great. So now my computer will forget where it put things…

    Report Post »  
  • cynical09
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 6:02am

    IBM the same IBM that was involved in keeping track of the prisoners of the holocaust? The disgusting fact that IBM was assisting Hitler is a fact not many mention. For Glenn to post this is most disturbing. Will they tatoo a number on my arm like they did the Jews? I would die before supporting IBM in any fashion, what they did is inexcuseable and disgusting. Profiting on human death. Shame on you Glenn.

    Report Post »  
    • t00nces2
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 6:24am

      Wow! The trolls sure have been out the past few days. There are just soooo many “shame on you, Glenn” on the board.

      My question to you, cynical09, would be; Do you run right back to the PMSNBC board and tell them, “boy! I really got them!”?

      Report Post »  
    • I support God's Israel!
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 11:15am

      No, it will be used for the MARK OF THE BEAST somewhere down the line….at least the AI part of it implanted in the skin so they can track us all.

      Report Post » I support God's Israel!  
    • 4truth2all
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 11:37am

      Can someone say — tower of Babel !!!

      Report Post »  
    • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:47pm

      And Bayer Pharmaceuticals collaborated with Josef Mengele. You gonna refuse to take Bayer aspirin when you have a pounding headache too?

      Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
  • pwatkins
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 5:59am

    I think it is already being used.

    Report Post »  
  • Justthefactsmam
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 5:56am

    Skynet next stop…

    Report Post » Justthefactsmam  
  • Bill Rowland
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 5:43am

    Program it to balance the budget and cut the deficit and I’ll vote for it.

    Report Post »  
    • MrObvious
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:26am

      If it becomes the same as the slimy politicians who promise one thing and deliver another; then, what?

      Report Post »  
  • Arc
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 4:26am

    Put a rush on the first order and ship the first few chips to the nations capitol. Our elected officials don’t seem to understand how to use the NON ARTIFICIAL kind.

    Report Post » Arc  
  • lylejk
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:57am

    I remember when they did a Night Rider re-union (believe Night Rider 2000) and they actually took Kit’s neural chip and implanted it into a girl (forgot the reason and plot). Who knows; maybe we all will be able to upgrade are brains in the not so distant future. :)

    Report Post » lylejk  
  • Alan
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:19am

    hook me up, I want to be smarter

    Report Post »  
  • KickinBack
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:09am

    I thought there already was artificial intelligence. It’s called liberalism.

    Report Post » KickinBack  
    • GadsdenPatriot
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:41am

      Does this mean I can take my liberal friends to a local Best Buy stating a defective product?

      Report Post » GadsdenPatriot  
  • Chuck Stein
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:03am

    There have been “artificial intelligence” computers & software for decades. This story talks about an improvement in AI, but the headline is as if AI is “futuristic” somehow.

    Report Post »  
    • chancetexas
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 9:34am

      The true question is how do they stand up against an EMP? The human brain does just fine.

      Report Post »  
  • Diane TX
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 2:48am

    It’s so funny that all the Socialists are preceding “Obama’s big plan” with: Yeah, Obama has a plan, but it won’t pass because the Tea Party is holding the Republicans hostage. I hear this every day. Do the Democrats really believe that People are that stupid?

    We already know that Obama thinks that the solution to reduce the deficit, is to “spend our way” out. It didn’t work the first time, why would it work this time? The “problem” IS Obama. Everyone knows this. Another term with Obama as President, will destroy the USA.

    Report Post »  
  • LinkedIn G
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:55am

    Funny how Liberal Colleges are fine with Defense dollars when it suits them … otherwise they are a sworn enemy. Hypochrites to the end.

    Report Post » LinkedIn G  
  • banjarmon
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:42am

    I wonder if we can use these chips to replace heads in Washington???

    Report Post » banjarmon  
  • thepatriotdave
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:39am

    “artificial intelligence”
    Here we go again talking about Obama!

    http://www.AllenWestforPresident.us

    Report Post » thepatriotdave  
  • GadsdenPatriot
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:38am

    When they’re finished with the brain it will be hopelessly flawed like Frankenstein. No thanks we have enough liberals already.

    Report Post » GadsdenPatriot  
  • LilHarley
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:36am

    Did no one pay attention to the Terminator Movies???JK!!!

    Report Post » LilHarley  
1 2 3

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love