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The Human Brain: The Original ChatGPT
The Human Brain: The Original ChatGPT

August 26, 2024

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We live in an age where ChatGPT and similar Generative AI tools have taken the world by storm. Generative AI is a giant leap in technological progress that has been made easily accessible making it a handy and powerful tool. Though the opportunities such tools provide are immense and should spark widespread awe, for millions of years there has been a similar machine that has existed with broader and richer capabilities, that too within us, The Human Brain!

While the apps and tools driven by Artificial Intelligence are a more recent innovation, they are, in a sense, a culmination of centuries of human research and curiosity into the nature of information acquisition, processing, and communication revolved around humans and the brain. To put it mildly, the brain is a wonder of biological ingenuity capable of performing an astonishing array of tasks with creativity and context.  

Composed of billions of interconnected neurons, the brain acts as the control center receiving, processing, and transmitting information. The complex interplay between neurons allows the brain to perform a vast array of cognitive functions, including information comprehension, learning, and generation. The brain is incredibly adaptable, capable of forming new connections when new information flows in and strengthening existing ones in response to experience. This plasticity allows humans to learn new languages, acquire new skills, and adapt to changing environments. In essence, the brain is a self-organizing system that continually refines itself through interaction with the world. This is the very basic principle on which modern AI systems are based and this is the very basis for systems such as Large Language Models on which ChatGPT and similar tools have been developed. 

A core part of our brain is memory. Our brains store a vast amount of information, from individual words and phrases to grammatical rules and cultural context combined with knowledge gained over the years. This stored knowledge allows us to draw on past experiences when communicating and generating new information. The brain's computational power as well is staggering. It can process vast amounts of information simultaneously, recognize patterns, and make complex decisions in a fraction of a second.  Unlike traditional computers, which operate sequentially, the brain can perform multiple tasks simultaneously. Of course, the modern computers and systems of today can do this at significant speed and scale. 

There is one distinct area though where AI systems stand apart compared to the brain. The brain's functions evolve with the evolution of a human. The rate at which the brain acquires, stores, and processes data is gradual and happens over years. Even though by the age of three, most children have mastered the basic grammar and syntax of their native language and basic neural circuitry, this continues gradually till adulthood and beyond as part of physiological and biological evolution. AI systems on the other hand can process and build the necessary learning networks in a much shorter timeframe.

While the brain is a remarkable organ, it is not without its limitations. A crucial limitation is its propensity to biases. The brain's experiences and beliefs can influence its perceptions and judgments, leading to biases in decision-making. Additionally, the brain is subject to physical constraints, such as aging and disease, which can impair its cognitive functions be it speed of processing or memory. AI systems also unfortunately are susceptible to biases given they are designed by humans; they however have the advantage of not being prone to physical constraints since they can easily be upgraded and their intelligence transferred to another AI system if required.

As AI continues to advance and comes with significant advantages, it is unlikely to ever fully replicate the complexity and richness of the human brain. The brain's ability to experience emotions, consciousness, and subjective reality remains a unique and fascinating aspect of human existence.

The Human Brain, with its intricate network of neurons and synapses, without doubt, was the original ChatGPT and has existed since ancient times. It has been processing language and information for millions of years, long before the advent of modern computers. While AI has made significant strides in recent years, the brain's capacity for learning, understanding, and creativity remains a testament to the extraordinary complexity and beauty of human intelligence.


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Sidharth Sivasailam
Head of Product Strategy and Management

Product and Technology Leader

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