Despite the remarkable similarities between convolutional neural networks (CNN) and the human brain, CNNs still fall behind humans in many visual tasks, indicating that there still exist considerable differences between the two systems. Here, we leverage adversarial noise (AN) and adversarial interference (AI) images to quantify the consistency between neural representations and perceptual outcomes in the two systems. Humans can successfully recognize AI images as the same categories as their corresponding regular images but perceive AN images as meaningless noise. In contrast, CNNs can recognize AN images similar as corresponding regular images but classify AI images into wrong categories with surprisingly high confidence. We use functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure brain activity evoked by regular and adversarial images in the human brain, and compare it to the activity of artificial neurons in a prototypical CNN—AlexNet. In the human brain, we find that the representational similarity between regular and adversarial images largely echoes their perceptual similarity in all early visual areas. In AlexNet, however, the neural representations of adversarial images are inconsistent with network outputs in all intermediate processing layers, providing no neural foundations for the similarities at the perceptual level. Furthermore, we show that voxel-encoding models trained on regular images can successfully generalize to the neural responses to AI images but not AN images. These remarkable differences between the human brain and AlexNet in representation-perception association suggest that future CNNs should emulate both behavior and the internal neural presentations of the human brain.
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Dr. David Lowemann, M.Sc, Ph.D., is a co-founder of the Institute for the Future of Human Potential, where he leads the charge in pioneering Self-Enhancement Science for the Success of Society. With a keen interest in exploring the untapped potential of the human mind, Dr. Lowemann has dedicated his career to pushing the boundaries of human capabilities and understanding.
Armed with a Master of Science degree and a Ph.D. in his field, Dr. Lowemann has consistently been at the forefront of research and innovation, delving into ways to optimize human performance, cognition, and overall well-being. His work at the Institute revolves around a profound commitment to harnessing cutting-edge science and technology to help individuals lead more fulfilling and intelligent lives.
Dr. Lowemann’s influence extends to the educational platform BetterSmarter.me, where he shares his insights, findings, and personal development strategies with a broader audience. His ongoing mission is shaping the way we perceive and leverage the vast capacities of the human mind, offering invaluable contributions to society’s overall success and collective well-being.