eli5: Just how powerful is the Human brain, especially compared to a computer?
In: Biology
“Power” isn’t necessarily the right term to compare. It’s different. The human brain is estimated to have an information storage capacity of a couple of petabytes, which far outpaces the capacity of most electronic storage devices we have at this time. However, our brains process individual tasks at a fraction of the speed of modern computers.
One big difference between the human brain and current computers/computer programs (other than the obvious organic vs. Inorganic differences) is that the animal brains are generalist processing systems. Meaning they are able to information about a thing, and adapt and use it to apply, learn about, and process a task that has nothing to do with the original information. We are surrounded by specialist AI, but those are bound by the confines, rules, and definitions of their programmed tasks, and don’t yet have the processing capability to find a way to essentially make a square peg fit into a round hole without operator assistance. Once quantum computing becomes readily available, though, I can see that limit to AI changing rapidly.
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