AI algorithm with 'social skills' teaches humans how to collaborate

An international team has developed an AI algorithm with social skills that has outperformed humans in the ability to cooperate with people and machines in playing a variety of two-player games. The researchers, led by Iyad Rahwan, PhD, an MIT Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences, tested humans and the algorithm, called S# ("S sharp"), in three types of interactions: machine-machine, human-machine, and human-human. In most instances, machines programmed with S# outperformed humans in finding compromises that benefit both parties. "Two humans, if they were honest with each other and loyal, would have done as well as two machines," said lead author BYU computer science professor Jacob Crandall. "As it is, about half of the humans lied at some point. So essentially, this particular algorithm is learning that moral characteristics are better [since it's programmed to not lie] and it also learns to maintain cooperation once it emerges."