Swarm Artificial Intelligence – Full Presentation

Swarm Artificial Intelligence

This presentation covers artificial swarm intelligence and its applications in autonomous UAVs (drones), drone swarms and robotics. It is based on a talk delivered in Abu Dhabi in early 2025, and the material is technical.

This is the full version of the presentation (approximately 90 minutes). A shorter version is also available (approximately 40 minutes):

Swarm Artificial Intelligence (short version)

For best viewing of the computer simulations, use a large screen such as a laptop or tablet.

Different Language Versions

The narration is generated by an AI system trained on my voice, which also translates the speech into other languages. This AI produces a good likeness of my voice in English, but the similarity is less good in some other languages.

Different languages for the narration and text can be selected using the dropdown language selector at the top of the page.

Contents

1. Introduction and background
2. How AI agents learn to solve problems, particularly using deep reinforcement learning
3. Swarm AI agents

Background Material

• Evolution and biological intelligence
• Individual and collective fitness
• Swarm intelligence and artificial intelligence
• Emergence

Swarm AI

This is the name I have given to the AI technology I have developed, which has applications in robotic systems and drone swarm warfare.

This type of AI is inspired by a different branch of the tree of life from that of humans. Its key principle is cooperation between many simple agents, rather than a single complex system. I will explain how correctly designed simple systems can produce complex collective behaviour. This effect is both surprising and powerful.

One important point is that this AI does not simply copy natural swarming behaviour. It develops its own group tactics to achieve its goals. In some situations it forms a tightly coordinated swarm, but in others it becomes highly dispersed, depending on the objective and constraints.

Computer Simulations

Parts two and three of this talk include computer simulations that illustrate how this AI behaves when operating autonomously. These include swarming and loitering, forming dynamic communication relay chains, and coordinated autonomous operations.

Examples include engagement with a fixed point target, a distributed thermobaric attack over a wider area, and an attack against multiple moving ground targets. In all simulations, the objectives are successfully achieved, and all targets are destroyed.