Mario AI Competition pits AI programmers against one another
What if computers could play video games? Well, technically they can. Whenever you play a game that has other beings that can move independently (for example a hockey or football simulator, or a first-person shooter), AI (artificial intelligence) is employed. Basically, the better the AI, the better and less predictable your computerized opponents will be.
AI can also be used to control a player of a regular platform game, like Mario Brothers. And a competition has started for just that purpose. The goal of the Mario AI Competition is to have developers send in their artificial intelligence code, and have it control Mario through an infinite number of random levels. The competition is to see who's AI can get Mario through the highest number of levels.
So, why have a competition like this?
From the site:
One of the main purposes of this competition is to be able to compare different controller development methodologies against each other, both those based on learning techniques such as artificial evolution and those that are completely hand-coded. So we hope to get submissions based on evolutionary neural networks, genetic programming, fuzzy logic, temporal difference learning, human ingenuity, hybrids of the above, etc. The more the merrier! (And better for science.)
This seems like a great way to get programmers and other scientists that are interested in artificial intelligence involved in a fun but useful exploration of the craft.
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