I read this quote online, with no source stated. It’s not the first time I’ve seen it, and, with a background as a Computer Science teacher with a passion for AI and as a trained neuro coach and hypnotherapist, I had to look into the truth in this.
Here is the quote I saw:
“A computer as powerful as the human brain would be able to perform about 38 thousand trillion operations per second and hold about 3584 TB of memory.”
It seems that the quote is roughly based on common estimates, but let’s unpack it a little because it’s an oversimplification — and not strictly “true” in the scientific sense.
Processing speed:
• The claim of 38,000 trillion operations per second (which is 38 petaflops) comes from attempts to estimate the brain’s processing power based on the number of neurons (~86 billion) and their synaptic activity (hundreds of trillions of synapses firing several times per second).
• However, the brain doesn’t process information the same way as a digital computer. Neurons work in parallel and use analog signals with a lot of complex chemistry and dynamics, not just digital on/off operations. So converting that to “flops” (floating-point operations per second) is an approximation at best.
Memory:
• The 3584 terabytes (or about 3.5 petabytes) estimate comes from guesses about how much information could be stored if you counted every synapse as a data storage point.
• Again, brain storage isn’t like computer memory. Synapses store information in complex, overlapping ways, and memories are distributed and dynamic. So this is more like a ballpark figure rather than a precise measurement.
Reality:
• No computer today (even supercomputers) truly replicates the flexible, efficient, and adaptive nature of the brain.
• Brain emulation is more than raw speed and storage — it involves chemistry, plasticity, emotions, and energy efficiency that silicon-based machines can’t yet match.
“Comparing the brain to a computer is like comparing a rainforest to a factory.”
• A factory (the computer) has machines that do precise, repeatable tasks very fast — like bolts and nuts being assembled at high speed. That’s your trillions of operations per second and terabytes of memory.
• A rainforest (the brain), on the other hand, is messy, alive, and complex. Every plant and animal interacts in overlapping, changing ways. It doesn’t just process in straight lines — it adapts, grows, heals, and even changes how it processes over time.
So when people say the brain is like a super-powerful computer with 38,000 trillion operations and 3,500 terabytes of memory, it’s a bit like saying “a rainforest is just a really big, complex factory.” Technically, it gets at the scale, but it misses the nature of how it really
So:
• Is it a popular general estimate? Yes.
• Is it scientifically precise? Not really.
And that is why neuro-coaching is so effective. Time is spent nurturing your plants and training them to grow in the direction that you want, rather than analysis how they got there.
Would you like me to help you nurture your brain? Get in contact for a free chat to find out more.
