EXCLUSIVE: Artificial intelligence is so critical to space missions that we can’t go to Mars without it, and it could even help us find alien life, according to NASA’s AI Director. AI is now so important to space exploration that it is very likely that it will find alien life before humans do – but fortunately, machines are unlikely to betray astronauts anytime soon.
According to Dr. Steve Chien, the head of artificial intelligence at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who helps steer some of NASA’s major artificial intelligence programs on Earth and on Mars. Dr. Chien explained to the Brinkwire in an exclusive interview that AI, also known as’machine learning,’ has become a critical component of NASA missions.
This is due to AI’s ability to quickly analyze large amounts of data and comprehend “abnormal events” in space. “NASA generates enormous amounts of data, and we use machine learning to try to extract subtle signatures and look for unusual events in these massive datasets,” says Dr. Chien.
AI can sift through satellite imagery and extract the most interesting aspects of cosmic events, which could range from supernovas to deadly meteorites. It sends these to humans for further examination, but the AI is often the first to notice anomalies.
In a process called “intelligence amplification,” if an AI discovers signs of extraterrestrial life first, human analysis is required to confirm its existence.
“Would it go to [AI] before humans? Almost certainly yes,” he says, but he considers it a joint discovery. “Artificial intelligence is used for pre-screening.”
There’s no way humans could look at all of the images if we’re putting down 500,000 per night. However, artificial intelligence (AI) reduces it to fifty per night. The humans can then examine those fifty.”
“So, if we see that signature and it turns out that we can eventually determine that it is an extraterrestrial life signature, was it the machine learning or the humans who made the discovery?”
NASA has even used AI to analyze mysterious radio signals from deep space in the last five years as part of a project to try to figure out where they came from.
“That’s always a good laugh, because some people believe these are signs of an alien civilization approaching.
Source: en.brinkwire.com
