Startup Cortical Labs taught "biological computer" CL1 with human brain cells to play Doom
In March 2025, Australian startup Cortical Labs unveiled the CL1, a pioneering 'biological computer' powered by 200,000 lab-grown human brain cells. As reported the device was launched with a price tag of $35,000.
From Pong to a Demonic Invasion
- The researchers developed biOS, a 'biological intelligence OS,' to run simulations for the neurons.
- The system was first trained on the simple tennis-like video game, Pong.
- Responding to user demand for a greater challenge, the team chose the iconic first-person shooter Doom and developed open-source software to connect the game to the brain cells.
Current Capabilities and Future Potential
While the system currently plays at a novice level, it already demonstrates an impressive ability to adapt to its environment—spotting enemies, shooting, and navigating the game world.
Biological neural networks may not excel at math like traditional AI, but they could help discover new medicines, create personalized 'human-like' robots, and improve the management of self-driving cars.
The CL1 began shipping to customers in the second half of 2025. In addition to the $35,000 unit price, Cortical Labs also offers paid remote access to its biochips via the cloud.