{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4415087833","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2509.11131","title":"Neural cellular automata: applications to biology and beyond classical AI","display_name":"Neural cellular automata: applications to biology and beyond classical AI","publication_year":2025,"publication_date":"2025-09-14","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4415087833","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2509.11131"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2509.11131","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.11131","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.11131","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["arxiv","datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.11131","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5031845068","display_name":"Benedikt Hartl","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7787-4839"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Hartl, Benedikt","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5100662026","display_name":"Michael Levin","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9859-0743"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Levin, Michael","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5064258116","display_name":"L\u00e9o Pio\u2010Lopez","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8081-1070"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Pio-Lopez, L\u00e9o","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12162","display_name":"Cellular Automata and Applications","score":0.9805999994277954,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1703","display_name":"Computational Theory and Mathematics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12162","display_name":"Cellular Automata and Applications","score":0.9805999994277954,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1703","display_name":"Computational Theory and Mathematics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/generative-grammar","display_name":"Generative grammar","score":0.5821999907493591},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/artificial-life","display_name":"Artificial life","score":0.49619999527931213},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/robustness","display_name":"Robustness (evolution)","score":0.46799999475479126},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cellular-automaton","display_name":"Cellular automaton","score":0.44859999418258667},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/hierarchy","display_name":"Hierarchy","score":0.4399000108242035},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/probabilistic-logic","display_name":"Probabilistic logic","score":0.39469999074935913},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/embedding","display_name":"Embedding","score":0.3874000012874603},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/artificial-neural-network","display_name":"Artificial neural network","score":0.3698999881744385}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.6366000175476074},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.6263999938964844},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C39890363","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36108","display_name":"Generative grammar","level":2,"score":0.5821999907493591},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C19273510","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q263847","display_name":"Artificial life","level":2,"score":0.49619999527931213},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C63479239","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7353546","display_name":"Robustness (evolution)","level":3,"score":0.46799999475479126},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C35527583","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q189156","display_name":"Cellular automaton","level":2,"score":0.44859999418258667},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C31170391","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188619","display_name":"Hierarchy","level":2,"score":0.4399000108242035},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C49937458","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2599292","display_name":"Probabilistic logic","level":2,"score":0.39469999074935913},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C188147891","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q147638","display_name":"Cognitive science","level":1,"score":0.39010000228881836},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41608201","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q980509","display_name":"Embedding","level":2,"score":0.3874000012874603},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C50644808","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192776","display_name":"Artificial neural network","level":2,"score":0.3698999881744385},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776184637","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6506039","display_name":"Living systems","level":2,"score":0.3456999957561493},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776036281","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48769818","display_name":"Constraint (computer-aided design)","level":2,"score":0.33970001339912415},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C139807058","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q352374","display_name":"Adaptation (eye)","level":2,"score":0.3375000059604645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C167966045","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5532625","display_name":"Generative model","level":3,"score":0.32260000705718994},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2992918937","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7239","display_name":"Biological organism","level":3,"score":0.3158999979496002},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C12713177","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1900281","display_name":"Perspective (graphical)","level":2,"score":0.30709999799728394},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C202615002","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q783507","display_name":"Differentiable function","level":2,"score":0.2953999936580658},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C52970973","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2497134","display_name":"Adaptive system","level":2,"score":0.2904999852180481},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41445625","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5418685","display_name":"Evolutionary acquisition of neural topologies","level":4,"score":0.2842999994754791},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C8521452","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q203790","display_name":"Connectionism","level":3,"score":0.26409998536109924},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C73301696","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5469984","display_name":"Formalism (music)","level":3,"score":0.26080000400543213},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C90509273","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11012","display_name":"Robot","level":2,"score":0.25380000472068787},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C80444323","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2878974","display_name":"Theoretical computer science","level":1,"score":0.2515000104904175}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2509.11131","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.11131","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.11131","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2509.11131","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2509.11131","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2509.11131","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.11131","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.11131","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Neural":[0,35],"Cellular":[1],"Automata":[2],"(NCA)":[3],"represent":[4],"a":[5,60,203],"powerful":[6],"framework":[7],"for":[8,96,119],"modeling":[9],"biological":[10,120],"self-organization,":[11],"extending":[12],"classical":[13],"rule-based":[14],"systems":[15],"with":[16,217],"trainable,":[17],"differentiable":[18],"(or":[19],"evolvable)":[20],"update":[21],"rules":[22,44],"that":[23,115,127,200,208],"capture":[24],"the":[25,94,159,223],"adaptive":[26],"self-regulatory":[27,180],"dynamics":[28,136],"of":[29,113,162,232],"living":[30],"matter.":[31],"By":[32],"embedding":[33],"Artificial":[34,170],"Networks":[36],"(ANNs)":[37],"as":[38,155,174],"local":[39],"decision-making":[40],"centers":[41],"and":[42,56,71,93,99,133,235],"interaction":[43],"between":[45],"localized":[46,186],"agents,":[47],"NCA":[48],"can":[49],"simulate":[50],"processes":[51],"across":[52],"molecular,":[53],"cellular,":[54],"tissue,":[55],"system-level":[57,195],"scales,":[58],"offering":[59],"multiscale":[61,215],"competency":[62],"architecture":[63],"perspective":[64],"on":[65,150],"evolution,":[66],"development,":[67],"regeneration,":[68],"aging,":[69],"morphogenesis,":[70],"robotic":[72,146],"control.":[73,236],"These":[74],"models":[75],"not":[76,209],"only":[77,210],"reproduce":[78],"biologically":[79],"inspired":[80],"target":[81],"patterns":[82],"but":[83,221],"also":[84],"generalize":[85],"to":[86,91,167,184,225],"novel":[87],"conditions,":[88],"demonstrating":[89],"robustness":[90],"perturbations":[92],"capacity":[95],"open-ended":[97],"adaptation":[98],"reasoning.":[100],"Given":[101],"their":[102,189],"immense":[103],"success":[104],"in":[105,141],"recent":[106],"developments,":[107],"we":[108,125],"here":[109],"review":[110],"current":[111],"literature":[112],"NCAs":[114,130,201],"are":[116],"relevant":[117],"primarily":[118],"or":[121,143,148],"bioengineering":[122],"applications.":[123],"Moreover,":[124],"emphasize":[126],"beyond":[128],"biology,":[129],"display":[131],"robust":[132],"generalizing":[134],"goal-directed":[135],"without":[137],"centralized":[138],"control,":[139],"e.g.,":[140],"controlling":[142],"regenerating":[144],"composite":[145],"morphologies":[147],"even":[149],"cutting-edge":[151],"reasoning":[152,234],"tasks":[153],"such":[154,173],"ARC-AGI-1.":[156],"In":[157],"addition,":[158],"same":[160],"principles":[161],"iterative":[163],"state-refinement":[164],"is":[165,182],"reminiscent":[166],"modern":[168,218],"generative":[169,219],"Intelligence":[171],"(AI),":[172],"probabilistic":[175],"diffusion":[176],"models.":[177],"Their":[178],"governing":[179],"behavior":[181,191],"constraint":[183],"fully":[185],"interactions,":[187],"yet":[188],"collective":[190,229],"scales":[192],"into":[193],"coordinated":[194],"outcomes.":[196],"We":[197],"thus":[198],"argue":[199],"constitute":[202],"unifying":[204],"computationally":[205],"lean":[206],"paradigm":[207],"bridges":[211],"fundamental":[212],"insights":[213],"from":[214],"biology":[216],"AI,":[220],"have":[222],"potential":[224],"design":[226],"truly":[227],"bio-inspired":[228],"intelligence":[230],"capable":[231],"hierarchical":[233]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-28T07:46:37.118299","created_date":"2025-10-12T00:00:00"}