Google DeepMind AI learns to creatively move around obstacles

Reinforcement learning (RL) is the practice of teaching and guiding behavior by using a reward system. Desirable behavior produces rewards; undesirable behavior does not. It's a common tool used in machine learning, and now the the Alphabet team has used it to teach the DeepMind AI to successfully navigate a parkour course. The team wanted to see if simple rewards would work in a complex environment. They set up a virtual parkour course with drops, hurdles and ledges and set a reward for forward progress.