Cortical Labs' CL1 turns living neurons into programmable processors

Cortical Labs, led by neuroscientist Brett Kagan, has developed the CL1, the world’s first commercial biological computer that uses 800,000 lab-grown human neurons reprogrammed from skin or blood samples to process information. Unlike traditional silicon-based computers, the CL1’s living neurons can learn, adapt, and in some cases outperform machine learning systems. The device, which began shipping in summer 2025 at $35,000 per unit, includes a custom life-support system for the neurons and operates with significantly lower energy consumption compared to conventional data centers. Early users span various fields, including pharmaceutical research, finance, game development, and AI science. The CL1 evolved from an earlier proof-of-concept project called DishBrain, which demonstrated the feasibility of using living neurons for computation by enabling them to play the game Pong. Transitioning from DishBrain to a commercial product required extensive engineering efforts to ensure scalability, reproducibility, and robustness beyond tightly controlled laboratory conditions. Cortical