That’s right, artificial intelligence has racked up another victory against humanity, this time in an air combat simulator commonly known as a “dog fight.” The software is named ALPHA and is made by Psibernetix, an AI development and consultation startup based out of Cincinnati, OH. The technology took on retired US Air Force Colonel Gene Lee, an experienced combat pilot and instructor whose students number in the thousands. His description of the ALPHA’s arial prowess was unsettling to say the least: As the developers put it, the technology is not only simple but also adheres to the cutest set of rules anyone has ever heard of, named “fuzzy logic.” The machine essentially cultivates a list of possible moves, prioritizes those moves in terms of how likely pilots are to make them, and formulates a plan to shoot opponents out of the sky based on those predictions. Not scary at all, right? While the ominous implications of this technology are terrifying enough to make you wish you went down with Goose, the fact is that this technology is being carefully monitored and appropriately administered. There are even scientists working on a “kill switch” that would prevent artificial intelligence from pulling an iRobot and taking over the world. While humanity is only as good as the tools it can make to protect itself, this writer would rather enjoy the fruits of their labor than cower in fear of what could go wrong. And it’s a lot. H / T Foxtrot Alpha Photo: Flickr / US Army Garrison – Miami
