Tom Ray, an evolutionary biologist, had the idea to create artificial life after learning about the game of Go. He believed that if it was possible to write a self-replicating computer program, then computer programs could compete against each other like organisms in the wild. Ray created an artificial life program called Tierra, which simulated the process of evolution. The program produced self-replicating code-organisms that competed for resources and mutated. Tierra demonstrated that complex evolution could occur in a digital environment. Ray’s work in artificial life has influenced the field and has connections to both biology and computer science.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Ray’s creation of artificial life in a computer | Evolution of artificial life | More sophisticated digital organisms | Curiosity and the desire to understand evolution |
| Artificial life in a digital jungle | Emergence of artificial life | Increased complexity | Evolutionary processes and competition |
| Artificial Life revealing new possibilities | Expansion of what is considered life | New forms of life | Exploration of possibilities beyond known biological phenomena |
| AI researchers considering a bottom-up approach | Shift in AI research approach | Development of new AI models | Recognition of the benefits of natural computational principles |
| Synthetic biology contributing to AI development | Integration of synthetic biology and AI | Progress in AI | Combination of approaches to advance AI research |