11:20 AM - 12:30 PM
[SL2-01] What can you do if you connect you brain to AI?
Since 2018, I have had the esteemed privilege of leading the ERATO Ikegaya Brain-AI Hybrid Project, a pioneering endeavor that seeks to amalgamate machine learning with the realm of neuroscience research. Our project diligently addresses intricate inquiries, such as, "What are the potential benefits of implanting an AI into the brain?", "How will the world transform if our brains are connected to the internet?", and "What will be the ramifications on our minds if our brains are interconnected with one another?" With profound seriousness, We confront these questions that may seem somewhat childish, approaching them with a sense of intellectual curiosity and wonderment. For instance, we have devised a sophisticated chip embedded with information sensors that can be implanted into the brain. This groundbreaking chip can furnish the brain with direct feedback regarding the environment and the body, such as fluctuations in geomagnetism or blood pressure. By examining how the brain reacts to this novel information, we aspire to gain a deeper comprehension of how its abilities and behavioral patterns may be augmented. Furthermore, we employ AI to scrutinize information that the brain is perceiving, albeit not utilizing behaviorally. This avant-garde research aspires to expand the brain's functionality and determine if there remains potential for optimization and evolution. While these enigmatic questions persist, during my special lecture, I shall expound upon the cutting-edge advancements we have achieved in this extraordinary field.