AI startup taps human 'swarm' intelligence to predict winners - CNET

The perilous search often involves several hundred scout bees working together to scour possible locations.

"If a swarm is able to negotiate by vibrating their bodies to converge on an optimal decision, then why can't humans?" Rosenberg said. "Why can't we model this type of behavior that nature already came up with?"

Rosenberg feels extremely confident after a group of 20 people correctly chose the top four racehorses (Nyquist, Exaggerator, Gunrunner and Mohaymen) in the Kentucky Derby on May 7, defying 540-to-1 odds. That prediction also made Rosenberg a lot of cash. He won more than $10,000 off a $20 bet.

"We defied the odds because no single person in the group had more than two of the horses right," he said. "Not to sound clairvoyant, but as a collective intelligence, we picked all four as they came in."

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Rosenberg said with UNU's recent success, he's betting the public will benefit from using the technology that can not only predict the outcome of sporting events but also politics, such as what Hillary Clinton would do with rival Beie Sanders if she won the Democratic presidential nomination.

The answer: Put him on the ticket as vice president.

Here's how it works: Groups can join a UNU forum via a laptop or smartphone. Participants are simultaneously asked a question with a set of possible answers. Each participant has control of a magnet they can maneuver across the screen to drag a sphere to their choice for the right answer.

The sphere can land on one answer as the group has only a minute to collectively reach a decision. Mind you, it's a consensus and not everyone may agree the outcome.

I was game to see how UNU works first hand. I recently participated in a UNU group of nearly 30 people to predict which hockey players not only will win top honors in the NHL, but also the final two teams battling for the Stanley Cup -- arguably the greatest-looking trophy in all of sports.

I agreed with the consensus that Chicago Blackhawks' stars Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin will win the Hart Trophy (most valuable player) and the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year), respectively, when the awards are announced on June 22.