Skip to main content

Can Swarm Intelligence predict the Olympic winners?

how to watch the 2018 winter olympics online 2016 0001
marchello74/123RF
It may be dangerous in other contexts, but group-think in the context of Swarm Intelligence tends to be pretty accurate. Following Unanimous AI’s previous success with making predictions around events like the Oscars and the Super Bowl, the company is back at it, this time with the Olympics. Using UNU, the artificial intelligence-based platform that allows groups to put their heads together to come up with predictions (also known as swarm intelligence), a group of eight elite swimmers has created what Unanimous calls a “super swarm” to make predictions about this year’s results in the pool. 

While the swarm is smaller than many of those normally used by Unanimous to make their predictions, the qualifications of these eight elite swimmers lends additional credence to their hunches. With a number of national team members and Olympic Trial competitors, Unanimous claims that this latest swarm is “basically a ‘super-expert’ that taps the collective intelligence of genuine experts.”  

So what do they think?

Recommended Videos

When asked how many gold medals Michael Phelps would win this go-around, the swarm thinks the magic number is 3. As far as the total number of gold medals Team USA will win in the pool, the experts predict somewhere between 15 and 19.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The swarm seems pretty confident in a few Australian swimmers, predicting that someone from down under will win the 100M and 200M backstroke (Mitchell Larkin) and the 100M freestyle (Cameron McEvoy). Australia’s team is also favored to win the 4x100M Free Relay, with the USA slated to come in second, and France to come in third.

Nathan Adrian looks like a strong contender in the freestyle races, according to UNU, while Ryan Murphy seems to be holding down the fort with his backstroke.

So how accurate are these super swarm predictions? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see over the next couple weeks.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Hyundai Ioniq 5 sets world record for greatest altitude change
hyundai ioniq 5 world record altitude change mk02 detail kv

When the Guinness World Records (GWR) book was launched in 1955, the idea was to compile facts and figures that could finally settle often endless arguments in the U.K.’s many pubs.

It quickly evolved into a yearly compilation of world records, big and small, including last year's largest grilled cheese sandwich in the world.

Read more
Global EV sales expected to rise 30% in 2025, S&P Global says
ev sales up 30 percent 2025 byd sealion 7 1stbanner l

While trade wars, tariffs, and wavering subsidies are very much in the cards for the auto industry in 2025, global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are still expected to rise substantially next year, according to S&P Global Mobility.

"2025 is shaping up to be ultra-challenging for the auto industry, as key regional demand factors limit demand potential and the new U.S. administration adds fresh uncertainty from day one," says Colin Couchman, executive director of global light vehicle forecasting for S&P Global Mobility.

Read more
Faraday Future could unveil lowest-priced EV yet at CES 2025
Faraday Future FF 91

Given existing tariffs and what’s in store from the Trump administration, you’d be forgiven for thinking the global race toward lower electric vehicle (EV) prices will not reach U.S. shores in 2025.

After all, Chinese manufacturers, who sell the least expensive EVs globally, have shelved plans to enter the U.S. market after 100% tariffs were imposed on China-made EVs in September.

Read more