Artificial Intelligence System

For the computer science and machine intelligence articles see Artificial Intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence System is a distributed computing project being undertaken by Intelligence Realm, Inc. with the long-term goal of simulating the human brain in real time, complete with artificial consciousness and artificial general intelligence. They claim to have found, in research, the "mechanisms of knowledge representation in the brain which is equivalent to finding artificial intelligence" ^[1], and have now moved into the developmental phase.

[edit] Science

The project's initial goal was recreating the largest brain simulation to date, performed by neuroscientist Eugene M. Izhikevich of The Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, CA. Izhikevich simulated 100 billion neurons (the estimated number of neurons in the human brain) in 50 days using a cluster of 27 3-gigahertz processors ^[2]. He extrapolated that a real-time simulation of the brain couldn't be achieved before 2016 ^[3]. The project ultimately aims to disprove this prediction.

On July 12th 2008, AIS announced that the first phase of the project had been completed by reaching the 100 billion neuron mark. The project is currently continuing to simulate neurons until they have completed the development of the other applications.

AIS is simulating the brain via an artificial neural network, and currently uses Hodgkin-Huxley models. The project utilizes the BOINC distributed computing platform. Each work unit received by a volunteer simulates 100,000 neurons for 100 milliseconds at 5 millisecond time steps (the estimated firing rate of a human neuron).

The application has four primary modules - for creating neurons, simulating neurons, visualizing neurons, and finally, knowledge acquisition. Though still in early development, the neuronal generator will eventually use genetic algorithms to generate neurons for simulation. The neuron simulator uses mathematical models to simulate those neurons. It currently uses Hodgkin-Huxley models but more models (perhaps hundreds) will be utilized in the future. The visualization software will allow the administrators to monitor and control the neuronal simulators. The knowledge acquisition module involves feeding information to the system and training it to build its knowledge base.

The AIS project has successfully simulated over 350 billion neurons as of November 21st, 2008 AIS News Page

[edit] Further Information

• Artificial Intelligence System project homepage

[edit] References

1. ^ Frequently Asked Questions
2. ^ Eugene M. Izhikevich, Large-Scale Simulation of the Human Brain
3. ^ why did I do that?

[edit] See also

• Blue Brain