Shades of Minority Report, anyone? Singularity Hub reports on the use of supercomputers to mine millions of news reports in order to more accurately predict political instability. It can’t quite read the future, yet, technically speaking.
I’ve got to say technically there, because so far it’s only been used for post-processing the reports on the Egyptian, Tunisian and Libyan revolutions. Still, it’s an impressive feat; an SGI Altix supercomputer with a whopping 1024 Intel Nehalem cores using 8.2 teraflops of processing power to sift through the world’s news databases to indicate significant changes in both sentiment of coverage as well as the geographic location of those reports. It’s still early days for the software solution, but it’s fascinating stuff; what would it point to if you fed it the news reports of today? [Singularity Hub]
Image: Argonne National Laboratory
Sicarius123
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 10:55 AMThis technology seems evil.
It’ll just spur governments to tighten control when they get a red flag, and possibly prevent citizens from overthrowing a corrupt government.
EckyThump
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 1:21 PMI think you’ll find it’s more likely to be used to predict trouble spots that could blow up into full on wars etc! I don’t see really, how it could be used for nefarious purposes! #]
Chris Wolfe
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 11:18 AMI wouldnt of said Minority Report, it sound more like the Echelon Conspiracy. (The Gift for Local Australian release) Still scary stuff it does happen
LucasF
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 1:20 PMI would have said “would have” instead of “would of”. Or is that how you of always said it? Anyway, I of to go now.
olearymo
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 1:41 PMNICE
EckyThump
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 12:37 PM“Professor Bruce Bueno de Mesquita”, has been doing this for years, he use similar methods, IE gathering information via news outlets watching politicians make speeches etc, and then putting it all together! Apparently he is very accurate too! #]
olearymo
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 1:42 PMAlso, he fights crime in the jungles.
EckyThump
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 2:09 PMHuh..?
MrRoboto
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 7:02 PMSkynet anyone..?
SeanC
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 11:12 AMHopefully they don’t scan any Murdoch press.
With a Democrat US President and a Labor Prime Minister in Australia – mortal enemies of all things Murdoch – I imagine it’d predict revolution is imminent every week!