Instructing robots to navigate new environments is hard. You’ll be able to practice them on bodily, real-world knowledge taken from recordings made by people, however that’s scarce, and costly to gather. Digital simulations are a fast, scalable method to educate them to do new issues, however the robots typically fail after they’re pulled out of digital worlds and requested to do the identical duties in the true one.
Now, there’s probably a greater choice: a brand new system that makes use of generative AI fashions together with a physics simulator to develop digital coaching grounds that extra precisely mirror the bodily world. Robots skilled utilizing this methodology labored with the next success price than these skilled utilizing extra conventional strategies throughout real-world assessments.
Researchers used the system, referred to as LucidSim, to coach a robotic canine in parkour, getting it to scramble over a field and climb stairs, regardless of by no means seeing any actual world knowledge. The strategy demonstrates how useful generative AI may very well be on the subject of educating robots to do difficult duties. It additionally raises the chance that we may finally practice them in completely digital worlds. Learn the complete story.
—Rhiannon Williams
Africa’s AI researchers are prepared for takeoff
After we speak concerning the international race for AI dominance, the dialog typically focuses on tensions between the US and China, and European efforts at regulating the expertise. However it’s excessive time we speak about one other participant: Africa.
African AI researchers are forging their very own path, growing instruments that reply the wants of Africans, in their very own languages. Their story will not be solely certainly one of persistence and innovation, however of preserving cultures and preventing to form how AI applied sciences are used on their very own continent. Nonetheless, they face many limitations. Learn the complete story.
—Melissa Heikkilä