From Molecular Robotics to Molecular Cybernetics: The First Step Toward Chemical Artificial Intelligence

"Molecular Cybernetics" is an emerging research field aiming the development of "Chemical AI", artificial intelligence with memory and learning capabilities based on molecular communication. It is originated from "Molecular Robotics," which studies molecular systems that comprise of the three basic elements of robots; Sensing, Planning, and Acting. Development of an Amoeba-type molecular robot (unicellular artificial cell,) motivated the construction of multicellular artificial cell systems mimicking nerve systems. The major challenges in molecular cybernetics are molecular communication over two lipid-bilayer compartments, amplification of molecular information in a compartment, and large deformation of the compartment triggered by molecular signal, etc. Recently reported molecular devices and systems that contributes to the realization of Chemical AI are overviewed.