What can London Cab Drivers teach AI?

Cab drivers have plenty to offer

What can London cab drivers teach AI?

It’s no secret that for many, AI is the secret assistant answering all our curious questions. For one group, it’s the other way around: AI has plenty to learn from London taxi drivers!

A recent study from the University College London and the Champalimaud foundation in Lisbon sought to understand how London cab drivers plan their routes by analysing how drivers rationalised their route-planning process.

They found cab drivers prioritised important streets and junctions to determine a more comprehensive view of the route. Compared to AI systems that follow a rigid strategy, cab drivers were flexible and creative.

This research is useful for AI developers hoping to better understand how human experts think, and ultimately, how to answer questions like a human would.

For the team at Ubiquitous, this research isn’t surprising. We’ve always known that cab drivers can teach us a lesson or two about practicality!

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