Science!

Researchers have found a soft and squidgy water-rich gel is not only able to play the video game Pong, but gets better at it over time.

The findings come almost two years after brain cells in a dish were taught how to play the 1970s classic, a result the researchers involved said showed “something that resembles intelligence”.

The team behind the latest study said that while they were inspired by that work, they were not claiming their hydrogel was sentient.

“We are claiming that it has memory, and through that memory it can improve in performance by gaining experience,” said Dr Vincent Strong, the first author of the research, from the University of Reading.

Strong said the work could offer a simpler way to develop algorithms for neural networks – models that underpin AI systems including Chat GPT – noting that at present they are based on how biological structures work.……

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...ove-at-pong-video-game?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other