AlphaDev is an artificial intelligence system that uses reinforcement learning to discover enhanced computer science algorithms. In a paper published in Nature, the system is reported to have uncovered a faster algorithm for sorting, a method of organizing data that is vital in everything from ranking online search results and social posts to how data is processed on computers and phones. It achieves this by starting from scratch, rather than refining existing algorithms, and by looking where most humans don’t – the computer’s assembly instructions – with the belief that many improvements exist at this lower level that may be difficult to discover in a higher-level coding language. AlphaDev trains itself to uncover new algorithms through a single-player “assembly game,” in which it must efficiently search through an enormous number of possible combinations of instructions to find an algorithm that can sort, and is faster than the current best one. The assembly game is incredibly challenging since the number of possible combinations of instructions is similar to the number of particles in the observable universe. The introduction of AlphaDev marks an important advancement in using AI to optimize the world’s code, one algorithm at a time, and offers the potential for improved efficiency and performance across various industries where sorting algorithms are used. The open sourcing of AlphaDev’s new sorting algorithms in the main C++ library means millions of developers and companies around the world can use it for AI applications, transforming how we program computers and impacting all aspects of our increasingly digital society.
