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I'm Scared About Biological Computing

As synthetic biology's exponential growth converges with AI-driven circuit design, the emergence of biological computing threatens to upend traditional silicon-based architectures, potentially rendering obsolete the very notion of a "chip" in favor of living, adaptable, and self-replicating systems. The implications for data storage, processing, and security are profound, with potential breakthroughs in biocomputing poised to disrupt industries from healthcare to finance. This seismic shift has left experts scrambling to redefine the boundaries of computational innovation.

Ben C (AI-assisted) May 5, 2026 2 min read EN

Biological computing is emerging as a potential disruptor to traditional silicon-based architectures, leveraging synthetic biology and AI-driven circuit design to create living, adaptable, and self-replicating systems.

Overview

The convergence of synthetic biology and AI-driven circuit design has led to the development of biological computing, which threatens to upend traditional computing architectures. This technology has the potential to revolutionize data storage, processing, and security, with potential breakthroughs in biocomputing poised to disrupt industries from healthcare to finance.

What it does

Biological computing uses living cells, such as neurons, to process and store information. For example, a company has grown neurons in a lab and trained them to play the game DOOM, using visual data and reward mechanisms to drive the neurons' behavior. This raises questions about the nature of consciousness and whether these systems can be considered "alive." The fact that 200,000 neurons, the number used in this experiment, is more than the number of neurons in a jellyfish or a worm, further blurs the line between living and non-living systems.

Tradeoffs

The potential benefits of biological computing are significant, including increased storage capacity and reduced power consumption. However, there are also concerns about the ethics and implications of creating living, adaptable systems. The commercial incentives for developing this technology are clear, but it is unclear where the line should be drawn in terms of what constitutes a "person" or a conscious being. As one expert notes, "we've discounted LLMs from being 'conscious' because of the simple, slightly brutal reality that they're next token predictors," but biological computing raises new questions about the nature of consciousness and how we define it.

In conclusion, biological computing is a rapidly emerging field that has the potential to revolutionize computing architectures and disrupt industries. However, it also raises significant questions about the ethics and implications of creating living, adaptable systems. As we move forward in developing this technology, it is essential to consider these questions and ensure that we are creating systems that are aligned with our values and principles.

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