The innovation will facilitate the inclusion of AI in a wider range of gaming-related equipment
As a result of emerging technologies dedicated to processing massive amounts of data, there is an increased demand for energy so smart computers can function efficiently. The current infrastructure that powers computers worked fine until things like artificial intelligence (AI), self-driving cars, 5G phones and other technologies start demanding more power. Both online and land-based gaming sites are integrating AI-based software and virtual reality features that also need additional power, so energy efficiency resources are one of the topics being discussed among operators. Recently, the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin has discovered a new way to increase the energy efficiency of smart computers.
As the new AI technology is implemented in the gambling industry to have data processed and analyzed in real-time, this is enabling an improvement in the customer experience and helps the operators automate certain processes. All these additions to casino operations require reduced latency, faster speeds and light detection features, which all require more energy to run. “Right now, the methods for training your neural networks are very energy-intensive,” said Jean Anne Incorvia, assistant professor in the Cockrell School’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “What our work can do is help reduce the training effort and energy costs.”
Smart computers today have quite a few similarities with human brains. They contain artificial versions of neurons, and the research discovered that these neurons – which are magnetic nanowires – have the ability to compete with each other and this increases the amount of energy required for certain tasks. With this new proposed method, the machines can reduce by 20 to 30 times the energy consumption needed when performing learning tasks. This is just the first portion of the study, which analyzed interactions between magnetic neurons, and now its applications in larger sets will be reviewed. This could represent a huge difference in the costs not only to implement AI and smart computers in casinos, and it will also keep the costs of that additional equipment to be affordable.