Computer scientists report progress on world-simulation tool
Computer scientists say that advances in different fields now make modeling of world events more realistic as an aid in high-level decision making
Computer scientists report that their plans to create a powerful computer simulation tool for decision makers are proceeding well. Lewis Page writes that the researchers’ idea is that the United States might try out various national-security initiatives — for example, invasions, bombing campaigns, supply of arms and training to regional governments/freedom-fighters/terrorists, etc. — in silicon before doing so in the real world.
In future, then, a president and his advisers pondering whether or not to invade a given country might run the plan through the virtual-world-ware to see the likeliest results
Read more in V. S. Subrahmanian and John Dickerson, “What Can Virtual Worlds and Games Do for National Security?” Science 326, no. 595727 (November 2009): 1201-02 (DOI: 10.1126/science.1182660) (sub. req.)
