Northwestern University researchers have achieved a groundbreaking feat with their latest artificial intelligence (AI) creation. This AI, unlike others, can swiftly design entirely novel robots from scratch, all on a regular personal computer. In a matter of seconds, it crafted a functional walking robot, a process referred to as “instant evolution.”
What sets this AI apart is its agility and independence from massive computing power and extensive data. It doesn’t mimic past designs; instead, it pioneers new ones. This remarkable achievement will be detailed in the upcoming publication on Oct. 3 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Sam Kriegman, leading the project, describes it as a breakthrough that bypasses the gradual process of evolution and avoids human bias in design. This AI was tasked with creating a walking robot, and it accomplished this task with unprecedented speed and innovation.
Kriegman envisions this development as a crucial step towards AI-designed tools that can directly interact with the physical world. It signifies a new era where AI can design machines with remarkable efficiency.
The AI’s journey from a static block to a walking robot took just 26 seconds on a laptop, a significant reduction in time compared to traditional methods that required weeks of supercomputing. Kriegman believes this development opens up opportunities for various applications, from search and rescue missions in collapsed buildings to medical applications such as unclogging arteries or targeting cancer cells within the human body.
In essence, this AI-driven evolution represents a revolutionary leap in robotics and AI, offering promising prospects for solving complex real-world challenges.
Source NeuroScienceNews
