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UK Initiative Aiming to Recreate Reality Through Simulation

Today, AI is one of the most important technologies out there, even in its early days there was much controversy as to how and where it could be used.

It has grown sporadically over the last decade and has already revolutionised practises in many industries. AI’s modern equivalent that is heading for a big future is simulated reality.

The name may sound familiar due to its similarity to virtual reality, but the concept is, indeed, different. While initially reality simulation was meant for gaming purposes, the developers soon realised its potential outside of entertainment. Creating a realistic, accurate simulation of any scale, from a small project to an entire cosmopolitan, would allow for more accurate planning before taking action. The idea is similar to digital twins, where a virtual version of the unit exists to test actions before accepting them in reality – this simulation, allows for the surroundings to be tested, as well as the unit itself. The simulation would predict the reactions of all components to changes, including traffic, environment, and utilities, which is particularly effective for infrastructure plans.

This complexity of the system means decisions can be made with a higher degree of certainty while being prepared for the impact of the proposed change. For social researchers, it shows how illnesses spread and how circumstances will develop in one specific location. It can also serve as training or testing ground for software or AI solutions that are too risky or complicated to test in real life.

So far the initiative has attracted over £400m funding from all over the world. Some of the most notable investors include SoftBank, Andreessen Horowitz and Horizons Ventures. It has also partnered with Google, secured the US and UK departments of defence as clients and was valued to be worth over $1billion, one of a very few British tech start-ups, in May 2017. Currently, it is at its development stage.

As big supporters of new technologies with a promising future, Dashboard is extremely excited about the concept of simulated reality. We can see how its applications will aid companies both within and outside of our fields of expertise and are certain it will be successful. If AI has set any example for the popularity of wide-application concepts, simulating reality will be hugely important in developing technology.