Matthew HutsonWatch the two simulated robots above, and you’ll notice a big difference. Even though both of their “brains” have evolved over 300 generations to allow them to walk, only one succeeds; the other falls flat on its back.That’s because only the bot on the left has learned to adapt to new circumstances.
Artificial intelligence (AI) often relies on so-called neural networks, algorithms inspired by the human brain. But unlike ours, AI brains usually don’t learn new things once they’ve been trained and deployed; they’re stuck with the same thinking they’re born with.So, in a new study, researchers created nets with “Hebbian rules”—mathematical formulas that allow AI brains to keep learning.