Title: AI Models Mimic Fruit Fly Brains, Leading to Improved Brain Models and Energy-Efficient AI Systems
Subheading: New Research at Janelia Research Campus Offers Insights for AI Development and Energy Efficiency
Content:
In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Nature, researchers at the Janelia Research Campus, part of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), have developed a virtual brain network inspired by the visual system of fruit flies. This innovative approach not only provides scientists with a tool to predict the behavior of individual neurons in a living brain but also paves the way for more energy-efficient artificial intelligence systems.
The fruit fly’s visual system, which is composed of a hexagonally arranged array of photoreceptors in its compound eye, sends electrical signals through a complex neural network, enabling the fly to detect motion. By creating a virtual model of this system, researchers can now test their hypotheses on a computer before investing weeks or months in experiments involving actual flies or other lab animals.
This new model allows us to start with a guess for how the fly brain might work before anyone has to make an experimental measurement, explains Srini Turaga, a group leader at the Janelia Research Campus.
The research could have significant implications for the development of artificial intelligence systems. According to Jakob Macke, a professor at the University of Tübingen and an author of the study, fruit fly brains are small and energy efficient, capable of performing numerous computations with just 100,000 neurons. In contrast, current AI systems typically require computers with tens of billions of transistors and consume as much power as a small country.
This suggests that borrowing strategies from the fruit fly brain might be one way to make AI systems more power-efficient, says Ben Crowley, a computational neuroscientist at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory who was not involved in the study.
The findings could lead to the development of more energy-efficient AI systems like ChatGPT, which currently consume vast amounts of power. By incorporating the computational strategies found in a living brain, AI systems may become more sustainable and accessible to a wider range of applications.
In conclusion, the virtual brain network inspired by fruit fly brains offers a valuable tool for understanding neural networks and developing more efficient AI systems. This research could revolutionize the field of artificial intelligence and lead to significant advancements in technology and sustainability.
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