Research Collection – Shall we play a game?
From a research point of view, games offer an amazing environment in which to develop new machine learning algorithms and techniques. And we hope, in due course, that those new algorithms will feed back not just into gaming, but into…
Research at Microsoft 2020: Addressing the present while looking to the future
Microsoft researchers pursue the big questions about what the world will be like in the future and the role technology will play. Not only do they take on the responsibility of exploring the long-term vision of their research, but they…
Research Collection – Reinforcement Learning at Microsoft
Reinforcement learning is about agents taking information from the world and learning a policy for interacting with it, so that they perform better. So, you can imagine a future where, every time you type on the keyboard, the keyboard learns…
MineRL sample-efficient reinforcement learning challenge—back for a second year—benefits organizers, as well as larger research community
| Noboru Sean Kuno
To unearth a diamond in the block-based open world of Minecraft requires the acquisition of materials and the construction of tools before any diamond mining can even begin. Players need to gather wood, which they’ll use to make a wood…
The road less traveled: With Successor Uncertainties, RL agents become better informed explorers
| Sebastian Tschiatschek and Katja Hofmann
Imagine moving to a new city. You want to get from your new home to your new job. Unfamiliar with the area, you ask your co-workers for the best route, and as far as you can tell ... they’re right!…
Optimistic Actor Critic avoids the pitfalls of greedy exploration in reinforcement learning
| Kamil Ciosek
One of the core directions of Project Malmo is to develop AI capable of rich interactions. Whether that means learning new skills to apply to challenging problems, understanding complex environments, or knowing when to enlist the help of humans, reinforcement…
In the news | Nature
AI takes on popular Minecraft game in machine-learning contest
To see the divide between the best artificial intelligence and the mental capabilities of a seven-year-old child, look no further than the popular video game Minecraft. A young human can learn how to find a rare diamond in the game…
Project Malmo competition returns with student organizers and a new mission: To democratize reinforcement learning
| Noboru Sean Kuno
When I was asked about my favorite movie in a game with friends after my wedding ceremony, I replied Star Wars. That was about two decades ago, and, yes, it’s still the case. I especially like Return of the Jedi.…
Winners announced in multi-agent reinforcement learning challenge
| Noboru Sean Kuno
In Learning to Play: The Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning in MalmÖ (MARLÖ) Competition, we invited programmers into this digital world to help tackle multi-agent reinforcement learning. This challenge, the second competition using the Project Malmo platform, tasked participants with designing learning…