Scientific ReportsMarch 27, 2026Jonathan Lomax Boyd, Eric Allen Jensen, Aaron Michael Jensen et al.
Human brain organoids embodied within virtual learning environments provide a novel experimental system for mechanistic studies of learning and memory. Yet these forms of synthetic biological or organoid intelligence raise moral and ethical concerns. Bioethicists argue that if biocomputers become conscious, they have ‘moral status’, which places limits on permissible research. Yet previous...
Biological computers, or 'biocomputers', are being engineered with brain organoids integrated with in silico hardware and software components. This technology promises to advance our mechanistic understanding of cognitive processes by embodying in vitro neural systems within virtual learning environments. Yet, biocomputers raise ethical and moral questions, such as whether evidence of...
Human cerebral organoids (HCOs) are model systems that enable researchers to investigate the human brain in ways that had previously been impossible. The emergence of HCOs was accompanied by both expert and layperson discussions concerning the possibility of these novel entities developing sentience or consciousness. Such concerns are reflected in deliberations about how to handle and regulate...