BibTeX
@MISC{Winfield_estimatingthe,
author = {Alan F. T. Winfield},
title = {Estimating the Energy Cost of (Artificial) Evolution},
year = {}
}
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Abstract
This short discussion paper sets out to explore the question: what is the energy cost of evolving complex artificial life? The paper takes an unconventional approach by first estimat-ing the energy cost of natural evolution and, in particular, the species Homo Sapiens Sapiens. The paper argues that such an estimate has value because it forces us to think about the energy costs of co-evolution, and hence the energy costs of evolving complexity. Furthermore, an analysis of the real en-ergy costs of evolving virtual creatures in a virtual environ-ment, leads the paper to suggest an artificial life equivalent of Kleiber’s law – relating neural and synaptic complexity (in-stead of mass) to computational energy cost (instead of real energy consumption). An underlying motivation for this pa-per is to counter the view that artificial evolution will facili-tate the technological singularity, by arguing that the energy costs are likely to be prohibitively high. The paper concludes by arguing that the huge energy cost is not the only problem. In addition we will require a new approach to artificial evolu-tion in which we construct complex scaffolds of co-evolving artificial creatures and ecosystems.
Keyphrases
energy cost short discussion paper artificial evolu-tion specie homo sapiens sapiens complex scaffold real en-ergy cost complex artificial life synaptic complexity technological singularity real energy consumption unconventional approach new approach artificial life equivalent kleiber law underlying motivation virtual environ-ment natural evolution artificial evolution virtual creature co-evolving artificial creature huge energy cost
