New technique builds animal brain–like spontaneity into AI

Internal motivations can prompt spontaneous changes in animal behavior. A recent study strives to design an artificial intelligence that can mimic animal-like actions using chaotic dynamics. A woman walking to a bus stop realizes that she forgot her keys; she suddenly turns around and runs home. Such spontaneous activities are hallmarks of animal behavior. Eager to capture the essence of the human brain, roboticists have tried to imitate these sorts of actions.