VERSES AI Demos ‘Genius™’: Pioneering the Path to Smarter AI

“What you’re about to see is akin to, I believe, a moment like the launch of the first rocket or the Kitty Hawk moment…So I want you to think about that moment when you first saw something completely new in technology.”

— Gabriel Rene, CEO VERSES AI

Artificial intelligence is at a critical juncture in its evolution, and today’s LIVE demonstration (November 3, 2023) of VERSES AI’s “Genius™” AI platform showcases a promising new direction for the field. In this presentation, CEO Gabriel Rene and his team provided a first look at how Genius™ is redefining the future of AI through its innovative approach rooted in Active Inference, First Principles AI, and Shared Intelligence.

A Departure from Traditional AI

Genius™ stands apart from mainstream AI models that rely on static machine learning algorithms trained on massive datasets. Instead, it embraces Active Inference, a technique inspired by biological intelligence. This approach allows Genius™ to adapt and learn in real-time as it interacts with its environment, mirroring the natural processes of the human brain.

Demonstrating the Power of Active Inference

Genius™ stands apart from mainstream AI models that rely on static machine learning algorithms trained on massive datasets. Instead, it embraces Active Inference, a technique inspired by biological intelligence. This approach allows Genius™ to adapt and learn in real-time as it interacts with its environment, mirroring the natural processes of the human brain.

The Role of Hyperspatial Modeling Language (HSML)

A key enabler of Genius™’s success is the development of the Hyperspatial Modeling Language (HSML). This language serves as a bridge between the virtual world and real-world entities, providing a structured format for machines to process multidimensional knowledge. As Gabriel Rene aptly described it, HSML is like “a Google Docs for the real world,” allowing intelligent agents to access and share a coherent representation of reality.

The Natural Path to AI

The presentation emphasized how Genius™ exemplifies VERSES’ commitment to the “natural path” approach to AI. This approach, inspired by neuroscience, aims to achieve flexible general intelligence that contrasts with the relentless focus on scaling up models seen in the AI industry. By mimicking biological principles, Genius™ strives to create AI that is adaptive, efficient, contextual, and collaborative, bringing AI more in line with human values and goals.

The Natural Path to a Smarter World

In today’s live demo, VERSES AI’s CEO, Gabriel Rene, unveiled a compelling slide that shed light on the fascinating dynamics shaping the future of artificial intelligence. The slide featured two prominent figures: Dr. Karl Friston on the left and Geoffrey Hinton on the right, both of whom have had a profound impact on the AI landscape. However, what this slide signified was a fundamental distinction that carries immense significance for the future of AI.

Dr. Friston, an acclaimed neuroscientist and professor, represents a different path in AI development. His work is not about scaling up machine learning models into behemoth-sized systems but about a more intricate understanding of intelligence based on biological principles. This perspective is exemplified through VERSES AI, the Spatial Web Foundation, and the global core standards being developed through the IEEE.

In contrast, the right side of the slide showcases Geoffrey Hinton, a pioneer in machine learning who made significant contributions at DeepMind and Google. His work and the subsequent scaling of neural networks have formed the bedrock of many of today’s AI generative models and systems. However, as Gabriel Rene pointed out in the presentation, this approach of simply making models larger doesn’t inherently make them more understandable or adaptable.

While the industry is discussing the idea of scaling models to unimaginable sizes, such as trillions of parameters, the VERSES AI team believes that this path is comparable to casting seeds onto cement — superficially promising but not truly conducive for growth. Larger models tend to become more challenging to interpret, leading to a lack of transparency and explainability.

What sets VERSES AI and Dr. Friston’s approach apart is the emphasis on learning in real-time, adaptation, and aligning AI with human goals. This approach mirrors the adaptive nature of living systems and stands in stark contrast to the static, data-centric methods employed by many competitors. In VERSES AI’s view, a single, super-intelligent agent is not the ideal outcome, as it raises questions about control, transparency, and desirability.

Instead, VERSES AI envisions a future where AI operates as a distributed ecosystem, distributed across people, systems, and devices. This vision aligns with the concept of “super shared intelligence” rather than a monolithic superintelligence, where collective intelligence enhances human potential.

VERSES AI has made significant strides in applying these principles through its Genius™ platform. This platform, which operates as “intelligence as a service,” empowers the creation and orchestration of agents that can learn from experience, understand humans better, and intelligently interact with the real world. In a nutshell, VERSES AI’s approach aims to bring about a smarter world not by scaling up AI but by infusing intelligence into a diverse array of systems, all following the fundamental principles of nature.

As the AI landscape continues to evolve, VERSES AI’s commitment to the natural path of AI offers a promising alternative that emphasizes cooperation, adaptability, efficiency, and a holistic understanding of intelligence. This approach could indeed lead to a future where AI is not just smarter but more genuinely aligned with human values and goals, ultimately benefiting society as a whole.

The Potential Impact of Genius™

If the live demo lives up to its promises, Genius™ has the potential to revolutionize AI applications across a multitude of industries. VERSES AI’s vision is to make artificial intelligence not only smarter but also safer and more aligned with human objectives. This biomimetic approach, rooted in Active Inference, sets VERSES AI apart as pioneers of a new era in AI.

The Path Forward

While Genius™ is still in its early stages, VERSES AI has plans to demonstrate its applicability across various domains in the coming months through strategic partnerships. If successful, Genius™ could lead the charge in enabling transformative AI applications, much like the smartphone and the World Wide Web did in their respective eras. VERSES AI’s focus on core innovations in knowledge representation and reasoning sets a new standard for responsible and beneficial AI, offering a promising path towards a future where AI enhances rather than disrupts human society.

Check out my blog and tune into my podcast, Spatial Web AI, to learn about Active Inference AI, the Free Energy Principle, and the Spatial Web, where I strive to take these complex topics and make them easy to understand.

Visit VERSES.AI _to stay up to date with Genius_™ and Dr. Karl Friston’s revolutionary work with VERSES in the field of Active Inference AI and the Free Energy Principle.

Also published here.