Machine learning program for games inspires development of groundbreaking scientific tool

We learn new skills by repetition and reinforcement learning. Through trial and error, we repeat actions leading to good outcomes, try to avoid bad outcomes and seek to improve those in between. Researchers are now designing algorithms based on a form of artificial intelligence that uses reinforcement learning. They are applying them to automate chemical synthesis, drug discovery and even play games like chess and Go. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have developed a reinforcement learning algorithm for yet another application.