I know current learning models work a little like neurons but why not just make a sim that works exactly like how we understand neurons work

  • WolfLink
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    8 months ago

    Short answer: Neural Networks and other “machine learning” technologies are inspired by the brain but are focused on taking advantage of what computers are good at. Simulating actual neurons is possible but not something computers are good at so it will be slow and resource intensive.

    Long Answer:

    1. Simulating neurons is fairly complex. Not impossible; we can simulate microscopic worms, but simulating a human brain of 100 billion neurons would be a bit much even for modern supercomputers
    2. Even if we had such a simulation, it would run much slower than realtime. Note that such a simulation would involve data sent between networked computers in a supercomputing cluster, while in the brain signals only have to travel short distances. Also what happens in the brain as a simple chemical release would be many calculations in a simulation.
    3. “Training” a human brain takes years of constant input to go from a baby that isn’t capable of much to a child capable of speech and basic reasoning. Training an AI simulation of a human brain is at least going to take that long (plus longer given that the simulation will be slower)
    4. That human brain starts with some basic programming that we don’t fully understand
    5. Theres a lot more about the human brain we don’t fully understand