• · Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to predict wars and outbursts of violence could save lives
• · Algorithms could tease out spatial patterns from interacting stakeholders and highlight unstable geographical boundaries.
• · An International Consortium should be set-up to develop formal methods to model the steps society takes to wage war - according to School of Engineering’s Dr Weisi Guo at the University of Warwick
• · Can save billions of dollars that the world pays to cope with conflict.

Artificial Intelligence could be used to predict outburst of violence and probe their causes saving lives and billions of dollars across the world according to a panel of experts.

Since 2011 conflicts worldwide have killed up to 100,000 people per year, costing the United Nations billions of dollars in humanitarian aid, in fact they spent US$20billion in 2016 alone. However that could be made significantly lower if there’s an investment in Artificial Intelligence.

An International consortium should be set up to develop formal methods to model the steps society takes to wage war according to Dr Weisi Guo, from the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick, with Professor Kristian Gleditsch of Essex and Sir Alan Wilson from the Alan Turing Institute.

Algorithms could tease out spatial patterns from interacting stakeholders or highlight unstable geographical boundaries using the theory of social competition between neighbouring groups. It would be cost effective – as it would cost tens of millions of dollars to make, but would save the world billions of dollars that’s paid to cope with conflict.

Dr Weisi Guo, from the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick comments:
“AI can uncover hidden patterns and inform models to predict complex problems - this is why it is important to invest in global efforts to reduce conflict.”

 

Read the full article at: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07026-4

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
The School of Engineering is consistently in the top ten of all UK league tables, including the Guardian University Guide 2018 and The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017 under ‘General Engineering’.  It is one of the leading unified engineering schools in the UK. Our integrated approach to engineering education brings together the key branches of engineering and draws upon our research strengths in core engineering disciplines.

OCTOBER 23 2018

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Alice Scott, Media Relations Manager – Science, University of Warwick.
Tel: 02476 574255 or 07929531221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Alice Scott, Media Relations Manager – Science, University of Warwick.

Tel: 02476 574255 or 07929531221

E-mail: alice dot j dot scott at warwick dot ac dot uk

Read the full article at: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07026-4