MIT researchers use machine learning to kill video buffering

Don't you just hate it when the YouTube clip you're trying to watch pauses midway to buffer, or drastically lowers the resolution to a pixelated mess? Using machine learning, the Pensieve system figures out the optimal algorithm to use for delivering video at the best possible resolution while avoiding buffering breaks, no matter what connection you're on. By using an AI to learn what algorithm works best in various conditions – including, for example, instances when you're heading into a tunnel where connectivity is sketchy, and when you're in a crowded area with thousands of other network users – Pensieve is said to cut rebuffering by up to 30 percent. The team says it's tested its system with just a month's worth of video content; exposing it to more data, like Netflix's entire catalog, could help boost its performance even further.