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Google AI Crushes Starcraft
#4
I highly recommend this video on the subject and the channel in general if you're into AI:



(01-28-2019, 01:01 PM)Drashner1 Wrote: While I can see the advantage of being able to instantly focus anywhere on the map or see everywhere at once or whatever it was doing, I'm not sure that 'unfair' really applies when we consider the larger picture. In the real world, machines are often equipped with abilities that humans lack for reasons ranging from strength of materials to speed of processing to shape. While an AI designed to (for example) play gamers for their enjoyment or to train them might logically be limited in what it could do to human levels of performance - an AI designed to do the best job possible (rather than the best a human could do) would be created to take advantage of everything it could possibly do (within some limits imposed by cost or practicality or what has been thought of, perhaps).

That said, I agree that the lack of training for the AI was probably a factor and something that a few more weeks of training could almost certainly resolve. That those few weeks would result in centuries of increased experience is still just as mind blowing.

It's certainly true that machines aren't going to have similar limits, but in this case there's a very, very cool reason why the designers want to keep the AIs practical abilities in line with humans. The training of a neural network is akin to evolution; random modification to neural weightings are made in a number of similar networks, the networks are tested, the best go on to form the next generation. In this case they don't just want a network that can beat humans because if that was the only selective factor the AI would make 1000 clicks per second and win by brute force. Not very useful for most other practices. But by limiting the AI's practical abilities a strong selective pressure for strategic skill is created. If the AI can't rely on "strength" it will have to get smarter.

That's basically what has happened in this case, as the video above shows things like how many actions per minute the AI is allowed to make have been limited making the AI smarter with its clicks. The point of view thing is something they seem like they're going to try and train around. There was an interesting AMA on reddit with the designers and this came up, one practical advantage it gave the AI was that it could instantly hop between three different fronts to micro-manage its forces. Which isn't necessarily very smart, it's just very "strong". I'm sure they'll already be investigating training methods to get the AI to navigate its point of view like a human, forcing it to be smarter in its strategy.
OA Wish list:
  1. DNI
  2. Internal medical system
  3. A dormbot, because domestic chores suck!
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Messages In This Thread
Google AI Crushes Starcraft - by Drashner1 - 01-25-2019, 11:48 PM
RE: Google AI Crushes Starcraft - by chris0033547 - 01-27-2019, 07:31 AM
RE: Google AI Crushes Starcraft - by Drashner1 - 01-28-2019, 01:01 PM
RE: Google AI Crushes Starcraft - by Rynn - 02-16-2019, 10:32 PM

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