Robotic Mayflower ship sets sail for the US again after first attempt failed

A robotic recreation of the 17th century Mayflower ship has set sail for US shores once more after a failed first attempt last year. Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) – a 50-foot-long autonomous research vessel piloted by artificial intelligence (AI) – departed from Plymouth, England on Wednesday (April 27). If all goes to plan, the £1 million ($1.3 million) ship will reach Virginia in about three weeks, and in the process become the largest autonomous vessel to ever cross the Atlantic. With no humans on board the ship, it relies on AI to make decisions and look out for potential obstacles in the water. MAS was built to recreate the original Mayflower's historic journey from England to the New World more than 400 years ago.