The Baltimore declaration toward the exploration of organoid intelligence

Abstract

The Baltimore Declaration toward the exploration of 1 organoid intelligence 2 We participants of the First Organoid Intelligence Workshop -'Forming an OI Community' 3 (22-24 February 2022) call on the international scientific community to explore the 4 potential of human brain-based organoid cell cultures to advance our understanding of the 5 brain and unleash new forms of biocomputing while recognizing and addressing the 6 associated ethical implications. 7The term 'organoid intelligence' (OI) has been coined to describe this research and 8 development approach (1) in a manner consistent with the term artificial intelligence (AI) 9-used to describe the enablement of computers to perform tasks normally requiring human 10 intelligence. 11 OI has the potential for diverse and far-reaching applications that could benefit humankind 12 and our planet, and which urge the strategic development of OI as a collaborative scientific 13 discipline. OI holds promise to elucidate the physiology of human cognitive functions such 14 as memory and learning. It presents game-changing opportunities in biological and hybrid 15 computing that could overcome significant limitations in silicon-based computing. It offers 16 the prospect of unparalleled advances in interfaces between brains and machines. Finally, 17 OI could allow breakthroughs in modelling and treating dementias and other 18 neurogenerative disorders that cause an immense and growing disease burden globally. 19Realizing the world-changing potential of OI will require scientific breakthroughs (1). We 20 need advances in human stem cell technology and bioengineering to recreate brain 21 architectures and to model their potential for pseudo-cognitive capabilities. We need 22 interface breakthroughs to allow us to deliver input signals to organoids, measure output signals, and employ feedback mechanisms to model learning processes. We also need novel 1 machine learning, big data, and AI technologies to allow us to and understand brain 2 organoids. 3In addition to confronting these scientific and technical challenges, we also need to 4 anticipate (as far as possible) and address the significant and largely unexplored ethical 5 challenges associated with this research. We must be alert to any possibility that organoids 6 could develop forms or aspects of consciousness and mitigate and safeguard against this. 7The cell donor's personal rights and interests are among other important considerations. 8These issues warrant stringent, ongoing discussions throughout the development of OI 9 toward an accepted ethical framework. These discussions should involve all relevant 10 stakeholders and take due account of public values. 11We are only just beginning this multidisciplinary and multistakeholder endeavour. The 12 potential benefits are world-changing, but the challenges are daunting. We call on the 13 scientific community to join us on this journey. Only by collaborating will we be able to 14 realize the full potential of OI to advance science, technology, and medicine.