Pigeons are as smart as hi-tech artificial intelligence, boffins say.
The bird is traditionally considered stupid – inspiring the insult “birdbrain”.
But a study has found their wits match the best robots. In experiments pigeons turned to trial-and-error memorising enough scenarios to reach nearly 70% accuracy.
READ MORE:Humans ‘could go extinct’ when evil ‘superhuman’ AI robots rise up like The Terminator
Scientists equate the repetitive approach to programmed AI.
Professor Ed Wasserman, of the University of Iowa in the US, said: “You hear all the time about the wonders of AI.
“Is it smart? No, it’s using the same system or equivalent to what a pigeon is using.”
(Image: Getty Images)
In their tests four pigeons were shown a stimulus and had to decide, by pecking one of two buttons, to which category it belonged. A correct answer yielded a pellet.
Each bird began by correctly answering about half the time. But over hundreds of tests, the quartet eventually upped their score to an average of 68% right.
Prof Wasserman said: “The pigeons are using a biological algorithm, whereas the computer is using an artificial algorithm.”
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
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Robots are seemingly finding its way in several aspects of society including the news after one surprised punter was made a cocktail by a robot.
A TikTok user called Uptin posted a video onto the platform from The Tipsy Robot in Las Vegas which according to its website is a: “sleek, futuristic cocktail bar where robots mix custom drinks & deliver them by conveyor belt”.
The £13 margarita cocktail had a “service charge” added to its bill which rubbed Uptin up the wrong way.
In the TikTok video, he said: “I normally wouldn’t mind an automatic 10% tip for making my drink but you’re a robot.”
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