What neural nets need in order to improve is lots of data, and especially simulated environments. We have had the advantage of billions of years of evolution, they start the same journey from scratch.

Human brain is not smart in and of itself - it learns everything from the environment, including fundamental concepts and reasoning. We are not just surrounded by nature, with all its glorious detail, but also by the human society and culture. Our environment is very complex and rich. That's something neural nets have to replicate some other way, and simulation is one.

It shows that just inventing a better artificial neuron does not meaningfully advance the problem of artificial intelligence. It's just one leg, it needs two legs to stand on.