New AI tool by MIT predicts how fast any technology is improving

A team led by an Indian-origin researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT has developed a new artificial intelligence AI tool that can predict how fast any technology is improving, and help organisations manage research and development RD. The study, recently published in the journal Research Policy, demonstrates the predicted improvement rates for 1,757 technology domains covering 97.2 percent of the US patent system.The researchers noted that the fastest-improving technologies are predominantly software-related, especially those linked to network management, enterprise security, and media transmission. As technologists, we have to choose between technologies all the time.

A team led by an Indian-origin researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can predict how fast any technology is improving, and help organizations manage research and development (R&D).

The study, recently published in the journal Research Policy, demonstrates the predicted improvement rates for 1,757 technology domains covering 97.2 percent of the US patent system.

The researchers noted that the fastest-improving technologies are predominantly software-related, especially those linked to network management, enterprise security, and media transmission.

''As technologists, we have to choose between technologies all the time. Many times few technologies end up capturing a lot of attention due to the hype around them,” said study lead author Anuraag Singh from MIT.

''However, fast-improving, more promising technologies end up being ignored. We want to bring realism and objectivity to technological decision-making,'' Singh said in a statement.

The researchers have also launched a startup called Technext to help organizations anticipate technological advances, breakthroughs, and disruptions.

They also built a free, publicly accessible tool for academic readers to use the system.

The study builds on about two decades of research at MIT, started by Professor Christopher L Magee, one of the co-authors of the study.

It used machine learning, patent network analytics, and empirical technology performance data to predict the future potential of any technology.

The researchers, including Giorgio Triulzi from the University of The Andes in Columbia, note that the key technical innovation in the study is the early identification of technological breakthroughs, bottlenecks, and threats.

This helps organizations avoid being obsolete, improve R&D effectiveness and increase revenue through new product or service development, they said.

The tool can be handy in deploying the USD 2.2 trillion in annual global R&D funding more efficiently by helping organizations avoid low-potential over-hyped technologies and research, the researchers added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)