New 'Liquid' AI Learns Continuously From Its Experience of the World

In the animal kingdom, brains come in all shapes and sizes. So, in a new machine learning approach, engineers did away with the human brain and all its beautiful complexity--turning instead to the brain of a lowly worm for inspiration. Turns out, simplicity has its benefits. The resulting neural network is efficient, transparent, and here's the kicker: It's a lifelong learner. Whereas most machine learning algorithms can't hone their skills beyond an initial training period, the researchers say the new approach, called a liquid neural network, has a kind of built-in "neuroplasticity." That is, as it goes about its work--say, in the future, maybe driving a car or directing a robot--it can learn from experience and adjust its connections on the fly.