The future of artificial intelligence computing and data centers was the focus of discussion at the 2026 Penn State Biorenewables Symposium, which took place April 8-9 at the Barron Innovation Hub in State College.
The event addressed questions about energy consumption, sustainability, and emerging technologies like biocomputing. These topics are important as communities consider how to meet growing demands for reliable and sustainable technology while managing environmental impacts.
Feng Guo, a Penn State alumnus now on faculty at Indiana University, delivered the keynote presentation. Guo said that while AI is impressive, it faces challenges with high energy use and sustainability. He explained that biocomputing—using living organisms in computer devices—could be a promising alternative. “Scientists are now able to successfully grow ‘brain organoids’, or masses of brain-like tissue from voluntarily donated skin or blood samples,” Guo said. He described how his research group has developed biocomputing devices capable of recognizing voices and patterns and suggested these could be used to study or treat diseases.
Guo also said that biocomputers may require much less energy than traditional computers for similar tasks. He estimated potential reductions in energy use by up to 99 percent compared to conventional machines. In addition, he noted bio-based systems are easier to recycle due to their organic composition.
A panel discussion followed the keynote address. Jackie O’Connor from Penn State’s Mechanical Engineering Department said it is ethically important for energy solutions to be reliable, affordable, and sustainable for homes and businesses. Rui Shi from Chemical Engineering emphasized considering full life-cycle costs when evaluating new technologies’ impacts. Joseph Najem discussed alternative bio-based computing methods using biomolecules instead of living tissue.
According to the official website, Penn State Extension supported community well-being by addressing problems and fostering innovation for individuals and businesses. The organization delivers science-based education focused on agriculture, safe food supply, responsible resource management,and educational programming in nutrition and environmental stewardship. It provides workshops on topics such as farming through local offices across every county in Pennsylvania as well as digital tools.Penn State Extension collaborates with government agencies, industry partners, nongovernment organizations,and offers consultations on pest control among other services.
As AI technology advances rapidly worldwide, symposium speakers speculated about what role biocomputing might play if adopted more widely—and how this could change both technical requirements for data centers and workforce needs in years ahead.
