Skip to main content current edition: International edition The Guardian - Back to home Become a supporter Subscribe Find a job Jobs Sign in Search Show More Close with google sign in become a supporter subscribe search find a job dating more from the guardian: change edition: edition International edition The Guardian - Back to home browse all sections close Artificial intelligence (AI) Google creates AI program that uses reasoning to navigate the London tube Combining external memory and deep learning, DeepMind’s program learns how to do tasks independently, and could pave the way for sophisticated AI assistants Facebook Twitter Pinterest Scientists predicted that in future a similar approach to the one shown in this video could pave the way for virtual assistants that would be able to instantaneously scour the internet to answer questions and carry out instructions with precision.
 Artificial intelligence (AI) Google creates AI program that uses reasoning to navigate the London tube Combining external memory and deep learning, DeepMind’s program learns how to do tasks independently, and could pave the way for sophisticated AI assistants Hannah Devlin Science correspondent @hannahdev Wed 12 Oct ‘16 18.
04 BST Last modified on Wed 22 Feb ‘17 17.
43 GMT This article is 1 year old Google scientists have created a computer program that uses basic reasoning to learn to navigate the London Underground system by itself.
 The same Artificial Intelligence (AI) agent could also answer questions about the content of snippets of stories and work out family relationships by looking at a family tree.
 Scientists predict that in future a similar approach could pave the way for virtual assistants that would be able to instantaneously scour the internet to answer questions and carry out instructions with precision.
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 It’s a matter of time and of funding: whether anyone will be willing to spend the necessary millions to develop these things.
” A number of high profile scientists have warned about the existential threat posed by AI, with Stephen Hawking cautioning that “once humans develop artificial intelligence, it will take off on its own and redesign itself at an ever-increasing rate”.
 But Demis Hassabis, the founder of DeepMind has previously played down such concerns.
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