As children, and even after reaching adulthood, we all feel dazzled by the intricate actions that an ant colony performs, or by the movement of a flock of birds that assume alien-like formations when flying. Observing from distance, it appears as if an independent higher intelligence is directly controlling their actions because we cannot fathom that such simple beings show such complex intelligence. However, this cannot be further from the truth. The phenomenon in place that we will promptly learn more about is called Swarm intelligence (SI).
Swarm intelligence by definition. Simply put, swarm intelligence is the idea of coordinating a large number of individual entities to work together and make decisions based on the actions of other group members. In the recent years, this idea has had the biggest implication in IT and it has become one of its fundamental principles. It is one of the basic principles behind the blockchain but its human application actually started in robotics. As per usual, the military leads the way when it comes to any similar technological advancements and uses such groundbreaking tech to its advantage.
Early applications on swarm intelligence. The first ideas that humans had regarding swarm intelligence pretty much resembled what we could observe in nature. A large number of small nanobots working together to come to a result. The main purpose that they were thought would have was in medicine. They would crawl freely around our body, fixing different disbalances and imperfections here and there, without us having to ever again pay the doctor a visit. However, at least so far, the development of this technology is taking a different course. The main applications so far are in IT and the military.
Can humans form swarm intelligence? Humans did not naturally evolve any physical traits that would allow us to form swarm intelligence. For that purpose, ants release pheromones to mark the path that leads to the source of food or to warn other members of the colony about the danger. Fish feel vibrations in the water and act accordingly, and bees utilize high-speed vibrations for the same purpose. However, humans might have evolved certain psychological traits that would allow us to reach swarm intelligence. With the right technology, such as the Unanimous AI is developing, we show the ability to do it.
Unanimous AI brings swarm intelligence closer to humans. Unanimous AI is a company that allows humans to use swarm intelligence to collectively make more realistic predictions. The mechanism behind it does not rely on group consensus; rather, individuals input their opinions in real time and in that way affect the decisions of the rest of the swarm. So far, the platform has made some amazingly accurate predictions, such as the Oscar winners, the Kentucky Derby winning horses, the Stanley Cup winners, and so on. Interestingly, both empirical evidence and studies show that swarm intelligence consistently outperforms individuals, as well as crowds working together without the basis of an algorithm.
The future of swarm intelligence for the humanity. Scientists are coming up with more and more ingenious applications of swarm intelligence that could lead to various advancements and breakthroughs. So far, some of the most interesting uses include space exploration, demining, medical purposes, defensive and offensive military purposes, blockchain and cryptocurrency, and so much more.
