Whole Brain Emulation represents a theoretical bridge between neuroscience and artificial intelligence, aiming to create a functional duplicate of a human brain's processes and consciousness within a computer. This entails mapping the vast network of neurons and their connections, understanding the complex interplay of biochemical processes, and translating this information into a computational model that can emulate the brain's functionality. Achieving WBE would not only revolutionize understanding of the human mind but also represent a monumental leap towards artificial general intelligence (AGI), as it would imply the ability to replicate human-like thought, decision-making, and learning processes within artificial systems. Moreover, WBE raises profound questions about identity, consciousness, and the nature of human experience when mediated through artificial substrates.
The concept of Whole Brain Emulation has its roots in the mid-20th century with the advent of computational theory and neuroscience, but it gained more explicit focus and discussion within the transhumanist and futurist communities in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Although the precise origin year is hard to pinpoint, substantial theoretical exploration and practical research, especially in high-resolution brain scanning and neural simulation technologies, have been ongoing since the 1990s.
While there are no single individuals universally credited with originating the concept of WBE, it has been discussed and developed by a wide range of scientists, philosophers, and technologists. Organizations such as the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University have contributed significantly to the theoretical underpinnings and ethical considerations of WBE, with notable figures including Nick Bostrom and Anders Sandberg playing pivotal roles in its conceptual development and public discourse.