Brain plan: promoting artificial intelligence to leapfrog development

Research purposes

Revealing the mystery of the brain is the biggest challenge facing humanity in the new century. What is life? What is the "people are alive"? How does the brain think? Countless questions come to mind in human minds. The reason why people become the spirit of all things is different from other species because human beings have extremely complex brains and are the crystallization of millions of years of evolution.

In the past 600 million years, organisms have evolved to generate a neural network formed by a large number of neurons connected to each other, solving the problem of how the human brain processes various complex information in a constantly changing and complex environment. In particular, the high development of people's advanced cognitive functions makes human beings the first of all things and has the ability to dominate the world.

Scientific research has found that an adult brain weighs about 1.4 kg, has hundreds of billions of nerve cells in the brain, and more than 10 ¹⁴ synapses. The brain is the most complex structure and function in the living body. It is the command that accepts external signals, generates feelings, forms consciousness, conducts logical thinking, and issues instructions. It controls the daily language, thinking, feelings, emotions, and movements of human beings. And other high-level activities. The human brain is also an extremely sophisticated and complete information processing system, and is the backbone of the acquisition, storage, processing, processing and integration of environmental information inside and outside the human body.

Since the structure and function of the human brain are extremely complex and require research and integration at different levels, such as molecules, cells, systems, whole brains, and behaviors, it is possible to reveal its mysteries. To this end, the countries of the world have invested a lot of manpower and financial resources to conduct special research. The United States has defined the last decade of the 1990s as the "brain decade", and Europe has established the "20-year research plan for the brain." The century is regarded as the "century of brain science", and the research boom of brain science is spread all over the world. Scientists have put forward the three goals of "knowing the brain, protecting the brain, and creating the brain". People believe that the research results of brain science will make important for human beings to better understand themselves, protect themselves, prevent and treat brain diseases and develop brain potential. Contributing, "Understanding the brain and knowing oneself" is the biggest challenge facing science in the 21st century.

development process

The brain plan is another international research project following the Human Genome Project. Since 2005, famous academic journals such as Nature, Science, and Trends in Neuroscience have reported on human brain planning and neuroinformatics. They believe that the human brain plan is bigger than the genome project, encompassing a wider range of content and is a much greater project.

In 1996, the US-led neuroinformatics working group was established to organize and coordinate neuroscience and informatics around the world to study the brain, develop the brain, protect the brain, and create the brain. According to regulations, member countries can use electronic networks to seek research partners, data exchange and scientific research collaboration. They can use the universal neuroinformatics database and information tools for free, undertake scientific research tasks, and share scientific research results and brain research resources.

In July 2001, Prof. Tang Yiyuan visited the NIH Human Brain Program and Neuroinformatics Headquarters at the invitation of Dr. Coslo, Director of the Department of Neuroinformatics at the National Institutes of Health and Global Human Brain Program, and made a special report on “Chinese Humans”. The progress of brain planning and neuroinformatics has enabled Dr. Coslo and other scientists in the United States to recognize China's strength and determination. So Dr. Coslo issued a special letter “Agreeing with China Tang Yiyuan, Tang Xiaowei and Dr. Yin Ling to participate in the Neuroinformatics Working Group of the Global Science Forum of Economic Cooperation and Development, which was founded in 2000”. Dr. Coslo believes that the participation of Chinese experts in this activity is of great significance, which will help China's research in this field keep pace with international development. China's participation will lead to the formation and development of global neuroinformatics. Tremendous influence.

From October 4 to 5, 2001, Chinese scientists went to Sweden to participate in the fourth working meeting of the Human Brain Project and became the 20th member of the program. Chinese scientists said that it is necessary to actively cooperate with the international neural information network and database to establish China's unique neural information platform, electronic network and information database, in order to be unconstrained in cooperation, better cooperate with foreign scientists, and share scientific research results and international resources.

Have an impact

Artificial intelligence is one of the most cutting-edge technologies in the 21st century. Its development will greatly enhance and expand the boundaries of human capabilities, and will have a profound impact on promoting technological innovation, enhancing national competitive advantage and even promoting the development of human society. At present, artificial intelligence is ushering in a new round of innovation and development. Developed countries such as Europe and the United States have stepped up their efforts from the national strategic level to lead a new wave of technological innovation. However, China's basic research accumulation in the field of artificial intelligence, application of practical experience and investment in scientific and technological innovation is far greater than that of developed countries, and there is no comprehensive promotion plan for artificial intelligence at the national level.

Establish a new discipline

From 1970 to 2000, the number of members of the American Academy of Neuroscience increased by nearly 30 times. In 2000, it reached about 28 000. The abstract of the annual conference increased nearly 100 times. In 2000, it reached 15 000 or so. Various areas of research. Previous studies on brain including neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neuropathology, neurobiochemistry, neuroimmunology, neuroelectrophysiology, neuropsychological, etc., have obtained a large number of experimental data and research results on animal brain and human brain. Since 2005, molecular neurobiology research has revealed the mystery of the human brain from the genetic level. Advanced gene chip technology can obtain a large amount of experimental data every second. The application of brain function imaging (fMRI, PET, etc.) allows us to study the brain from the living and overall level, just like the window of the brain, and can understand the functional activities of the brain during human thinking and behavioral activities under non-invasive conditions. These new methods and technologies have greatly enhanced our ability to conduct brain research from both micro and macro levels, as well as massive experimental data.

What should we do in the face of such an information explosion? Does our previous research model need to change? There is only one answer: new ones need to produce new disciplines, and new models create new breakthroughs. One of the important issues facing neuroscientists is the ability to manage data flexibly and efficiently, maximize the use of experimental data, and reduce unnecessary repetitive research and waste of manpower and material resources.

The rapid development of computers and information technology has provided us with solutions, and the application of information tools has created conditions for us to solve this problem. Therefore, the establishment of a global neural information database and neural information electronic network is already urgent. Both neuroscientists and information scientists are calling for the cooperation and mutual penetration of neuroscience and informatics, and adopt a new research model, namely experimental data → mathematical theory → computer simulation and prediction → biological experiment verification → mathematical model With the theory after verification, it is often possible to achieve a multiplier effect and greatly accelerate the research process of the brain.

Chinese brain plan

Interpretation of the Chinese brain plan

Baidu's R&D investment ratio in 2014 exceeded Google. Li Yanhong's proposal for 2015 hopes to raise artificial intelligence to the national level. Li Yanhong proposed to establish a "Chinese brain" program at the national level. "This project is to build an infrastructure for artificial intelligence, to set up a corresponding large-scale service, and open it to all levels of society such as scientific research institutions, private enterprises, state-owned enterprises, entrepreneurs, etc., so that everyone can try voice on this platform. Identification, visual recognition, natural language understanding, intelligent robots, etc. The so-called large-scale service is based on intelligent human-computer interaction, big data analysis and prediction, automatic driving, intelligent medical diagnosis, intelligent unmanned aircraft, military and civil robot technology, etc. For important research areas.

The "Chinese brain" is a model that Li Yanhong believes that China's future innovation policy should have, that is, innovation should not be dominated by the government and should be driven by the government. “The government uses a big project to build an infrastructure and then open it to the whole society. Whoever wants to participate can do it. In the end, no matter who makes it, it is the result of government guidance.”

"China Brain" plan road map

The Chinese brain plans the following routes.

First, aim at cutting-edge technology and layout key areas. For example, technologies such as semantic understanding, speech recognition, and image recognition in the field of intelligent human-computer interaction, complex environment perception and intelligent decision-making control in the field of automatic driving; widely used in economic development, national security, market forecasting, public health, etc. Big data analysis and forecasting technology; intelligent medical diagnosis, intelligent unmanned aerial vehicles, military and civilian robots and other related technologies.

The second is to innovate scientific research mechanisms and improve research and development efficiency. Transforming the traditional research mechanism of the national “phase-to-horse model” into the market mechanism of the “horse race model” and attracting the broad participation of all parties involved. At the same time, build the world's largest artificial intelligence basic resources and public service platform as soon as possible, support the data call, model debugging and application development of each program participants, effectively connect the intelligence, data, technology and computing resources of the whole society, relying on the unified platform to achieve Resource sharing to promote R&D innovation.

The third is to strengthen collaborative innovation and promote industrial development. In the transformation and sharing of technological achievements, the market mechanism will be fully introduced, the technological spillover effect of artificial intelligence will be brought into play, the research results will be efficiently transformed into related industries, and the integration and innovation in the fields of traditional industry, service industry and military will be promoted to stimulate industrial vitality and help. China's economic transformation and upgrading has provided strong support for the national innovation-driven development strategy.

Join the human brain program to share neural information resources

In the grand global scientific research project of the Human Genome Project, Chinese scientists have overcome many difficulties and achieved 1% of sequencing tasks through arduous efforts. However, this 1% has produced tremendous political and economic benefits, once again proclaiming to the world that Chinese scientists have the ability to make world-class scientific research results, making China among the ranks of the Human Genome Project and standing in this field of research. The frontier, and of course share the research results of the Human Genome Project.

Professor Tang Yiyuan has maintained close ties with Dr. Coslo, the head of the NIH Department of Neuroinformatics and the head of the International Human Brain Program and Neuroinformatics. After continuous and unremitting efforts, Dr. Coslo finally agreed with Professor Tang Yiyuan as the special representative and participated in the third meeting of the "Global Science Forum Neuroinformatics Working Group" held at the Japan Institute of Physical and Chemical Research for the first time. At this meeting, Professor Tang Yiyuan first introduced the work of China in this field to representatives of 19 countries around the world, which caused strong repercussions. At the same time, he was invited to visit several important "Human Brain Planning and Neuroinformatics" research bases in the United States, to conduct extensive exchanges and discussions with the responsible persons, to explore international cooperative research projects, and to participate in the human brain program. This move made Dr. Cowslu and other American scientists aware of China's strength and determination.

In September 2001, China officially became the 20th country to participate in human brain planning and neuroinformatics research, which means that China has been in line with international standards in this research field.

Planned prospects

In an interview with Phoenix Satellite TV, Li Yanhong said: After more than half a century of development, artificial intelligence has reached a stage of "well-spurting" innovation, which is mainly due to the increasing resources and cost. The lower. China's research on artificial intelligence is not backward compared with developed countries and even compared with the United States. This is an opportunity for our country, and this is why it is proposed at this time to set up a "Chinese brain" plan. .

With the strong support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Ministry of Science and Technology, China's brain science has achieved a lot of scientific research achievements in basic and clinical research, and has reached the international advanced level in some fields. The People's Liberation Army 301 Hospital, Dalian University of Technology, Zhejiang University, Chinese Academy of Sciences and other units actively participated in and organized the work on the Chinese Human Brain Program and Neuroinformatics. In the past year, it has held two "Chinese Human Brain Programs and Neural Information." Experts' seminars, experts have conducted in-depth discussions on many key issues. In September of the same year, more than 40 experts in the fields of neurology, chemistry, mathematics, and information gathered at Xiangshan, and held the 168th Xiangshan Science Conference entitled “Human Brain Planning and Neuroinformatics”. Experts seriously discussed domestic and foreign. A key question has been made about the state of brain research and how we respond to the international situation. We have joined the International Human Brain Program with Chinese characteristics.

Under the auspices of the American Human Brain Program, various relevant scientific research institutions in the United States have initially assembled and established various neural information databases and information processing tools, and are working with the Supercomputer Center and the European Union to establish a global neuroinformatics work platform. The system has standards and regulations for data quality control, as well as a range of tools for data retrieval, analysis, integration, and modeling. The current international cooperation in human brain planning uses a common database, a unified format, and a unified standard to link the structure and function of the brain, microscopic and macroscopic research results, and to map out the functions, structures, and nerves of the brain in health and disease states. A "map" of networks, cells, and molecular biology. Scientists from member countries can search, compare, analyze and integrate in the database, and perform mathematical simulations and simulation calculations, which will be very beneficial to the formation of theoretical hypotheses and electronic cooperation between researchers, and can also avoid unnecessary Repetitive research.

After in-depth discussion and repeated argumentation, Chinese experts generally believe that in the vast human brain plan, China cannot be involved everywhere, must exert its own strengths, and take advantage of our human brain resources and computer informatics research. In-depth work has been carried out in areas such as traditional medicine with Chinese characteristics (such as acupuncture), Chinese cognition and special informative neuroinformatics research. The human brain plan and neuroinformatics research project with Chinese characteristics will be added to the global human brain program.

The development of human brain plans and neuroinformatics studies with Chinese characteristics will undoubtedly deepen human understanding of the brain and itself. It can be expected that, like the Human Genome Project, with the support of the state, the introduction of new scientific research collaboration and venture capital operation mode, through the domestic experts in this field, work together, joint research, to absorb social resources in an open new model, from research, The simultaneous launch of several aspects, such as industry, will definitely promote human understanding of itself and benefit all mankind.