A Computational Perspective on NeuroAI and Synthetic Biological Intelligence (2509.23896v1)

Abstract: NeuroAI is an emerging field at the intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence, where insights from brain function guide the design of intelligent systems. A central area within this field is synthetic biological intelligence (SBI), which combines the adaptive learning properties of biological neural networks with engineered hardware and software. SBI systems provide a platform for modeling neural computation, developing biohybrid architectures, and enabling new forms of embodied intelligence. In this review, we organize the NeuroAI landscape into three interacting domains: hardware, software, and wetware. We outline computational frameworks that integrate biological and non-biological systems and highlight recent advances in organoid intelligence, neuromorphic computing, and neuro-symbolic learning. These developments collectively point toward a new class of systems that compute through interactions between living neural tissue and digital algorithms.