Amateur Dota 2 players have been defeated by a team of AI algorithms

Jul 8, 2018News

The algorithmic A team called the OpenAI Five was developed by OpenAI. The team has shown its initial achievement, gaining a victory over amateur Dota 2 players in testing. What makes this win significant is that besides individually learning how to play the game, each algorithm learns how to cooperate with the other teammates.

Dota 2 is a complex strategy game in which teams of five players compete to control a structure within a sprawling landscape. Dota 2 is evaluated as difficult to master, and it is even more challenging for machines since when playing, they are required to predict what their opponents intend to do as well as to be able to support and cooperate.

By playing against various versions of themselves, the OpenAI Five figured out the key points, the roles of objectives in the game and created strategies in the way similar to what humans do. The AI team has won against a team of amateur players in testing.

This is a cutting-edge development for AI advancement. If this approach is successfully developed, the commercial use of technology is without controversy. For example, AI algorithms could team up to outmaneuver opponents in online trading or ad bidding. Also, collaboration between algorithms and humans is not far off.

Also, the next challenge for AI is to develop algorithms to compete in games involving communication, which demand players collaboration-competition balance.

AI is advancing against humans in many fields; if its development is not carefully monitored, it might result in unwanted consequences for humankind. It is fortunate for us that there are organizations currently working on AI ethical standards to ensure human well-being in the future. For instance, BGF and MDI are currently developing the AIWS 7-Layer Model for AI development.