Artificial intelligence engineering

Scientists from the NASA Ames Research Center have engineered antennas using an artificial intelligence system through genetic algorithms. The simulation ran on 80 personal computers for 10 hours and provided a design that would never have been found without computation assistance.

The program is designed to evolve solutions from a set of desired parameters and can work on any technology which can be defined in terms of desired behaviors. "Scientists also can use the evolutionary AI software to invent and create new structures, computer chips and even machines, according to Lohn. "We are now using the software to design tiny microscopic machines, including gyroscopes, for spaceflight navigation," he ventured."

This is a first step in what will define manufacturing and engineering in the coming decades, when all production and development processes will be handled through intelligent software. Starting with simple electronic devices, intelligent systems will be able to engineer larger and more complex devices, including large-scale logistical processes for mass manufacturing.

To provide an overview of coming uses for such technological developments, read our text on the world in 2055 or browse through Singularity articles at KurzweilAI.