Biological Computers: Cortical Labs Pioneers a New Era of Computing

At the start of the working day at Cortical Labs’ datacenter in Melbourne, Australia, technicians replenish the liquid surrounding the company’s unique computers – a fluid modeled on cerebrospinal fluid. This daily maintenance is crucial, as the living neurons powering these biological computers deplete oxygen and glucose from the liquid within 24 hours.

The Rise of Biological Computing

Founded in 2019 by Hon Weng Chong, Cortical Labs is an Australian biotechnology company developing biological computing systems by integrating lab-grown neurons with silicon hardware [1]. The company gained international recognition in 2022 with the publication of research in Neuron detailing “DishBrain,” a system where in vitro neuronal cultures learned to play Pong [1]. More recently, in early 2026, those same neurons learned to play Doom [2], and the company opened what it claims is the world’s first biological data center [2].

How Biological Computers Work

Cortical Labs’ approach centers around leveraging the inherent properties of neurons to create a new type of computing architecture. Researchers place biological neural networks (BNNs) – composed of human and rodent stem cells – on high-density multielectrode arrays [1]. These systems can “share a ‘language’ of electrical activity to link silicon and BNN systems through electrophysiological stimulation and recording” [1]. This allows the neurons to learn and adapt within simulated environments.

The CL1 and Cortical Cloud

Cortical Labs has productized this technology into the CL1, a commercially available biological computer launched in 2025 [1]. To operate a CL1, users must select cell lines with genetic traits suited to the specific computing task and maintain the necessary environmental conditions – including precise gas mixtures and fluid replenishment.

Recognizing the challenges of widespread access, Cortical Labs has also launched a cloud service. This service provides access to 120 CL1 units via an API and interface, allowing users to run Jupyter Notebooks or Python code on biological computers [3]. Users pay via credit card, but unlike traditional hyperscalers, preparing a job on the Cortical Labs cloud takes approximately one week, as the company must source and prepare the necessary cells for each task [2].

Potential and Challenges

Chong believes biological computers offer advantages over classical computers, including faster learning, the ability to generate original ideas (rather than simply re-ordering information like large language models), and lower energy consumption [2]. However, a key bottleneck for the industry is the lack of a dedicated “cell foundry” – an equivalent to TSMC for biological components – to provide readily available cells [2].

Early Adoption and Future Outlook

Cortical Labs anticipates that early adopters of its cloud service will be scientific labs lacking the resources to run their own CL1 units, or organizations exploring biological computing for specialized applications. Chong cites an example of an Australian bank investing in quantum computing as the type of customer he hopes will experiment with the Cortical Cloud [2].

While automation to simplify the maintenance of CL1 units is a future goal, Chong expressed a degree of caution about granting biological computers complete autonomy, stating he’s “a little uncomfortable with giving biological computers the chance to control their own destiny” [2].

Key People: Hon Weng Chong (CEO), Brett Kagan (CSO) [1]