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Science

Brain Factory

February 6, 2018

It’s a concept that’s been explored many times in sci-fi movies: the Utopian vision of scientists breathing life into machines. Is it a dream or a nightmare? And could it ac-tually soon become reality?

https://p.dw.com/p/2sBgT
Künstliche Intelligenz
Image: Fotolia/Mopic

We are all familiar with science fiction films featuring mad researchers who breathe life into machines. Is this futuristic vision already becoming reality? Neuroscientists and roboticists around the world are pursuing the same goal - the creation of an artificial brain that emulates the human mind. Dream or nightmare? This documentary sheds light on a massive research effort.

The Space Race was yesterday, today the next great challenge is the creation of an artificial brain. From simple molecules to complex networks of neurons - the cartography of the human brain has begun. The goal pursued by neuroscientists and roboticists around the world is to emulate the human brain.

But the consortiums of researchers are as varied as their motivations. Most scientists are primarily concerned with understanding the brain, one of the last great mysteries, and using the new insights to develop advanced treatments for neurological diseases. But among those involved in the race for the artificial brain are transhumanists looking for ways of making people immortal through technology. Internet giant Google wants to know how artificial intelligence interacts with the world and learns autonomously. Dream - or nightmare? Can the human brain be replaced by a machine?

It would have to take on the function of 100 billion neurons interconnected in a highly complex network. And suppose the search for an artificial brain were to succeed - would it provide digital immortality to a handful of eccentric billionaires? This documentary accompanies a number of researchers who are working toward this science fiction vision with practically inexhaustible funds - and with lots of science and ever less fiction.

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