How ‘Microsoft Flight Simulator’ became a ‘living game’ with Azure AI

After a little bit of investigation, Neumann realized that Bing Maps’ information set primarily coated the complete planet. The one downside? It was all in 2D. After utilizing a few of that information to construct a flyable 3D model of Seattle, Neumann turned to the Azure group to craft a machine studying technique for changing the complete planet into an enormous 3D mannequin.

“AI has simply tremendously grown in the previous couple of years,” mentioned Eric Boyd, CVP of Azure AI, in an interview. “It is actually pushed by the large quantities of knowledge that are actually obtainable, mixed with the large quantities of compute that exist within the cloud … The outcomes you may see are actually fairly spectacular the place you may give you algorithms that now take a look at actually each sq. kilometer of the planet to determine the person bushes, grass and water, after which use that to construct 3D fashions.”

Azure’s integration goes past the form of the world. It additionally powers the flight controller voices utilizing AI Speech Technology know-how, which sound virtually indistinguishable from people. It is so pure that many gamers might imagine Microsoft is relying solely on voice actors.

For the reason that firm started exploring methods to convey Azure AI into the sport in 2016, the capabilities of machine studying have additionally advanced dramatically, in keeping with Boyd. ”The AI algorithm house has actually grown within the final a number of years,” he mentioned. “And so imaginative and prescient algorithms, which is what’s closely used to determine all these completely different bushes and buildings and classify them precisely, these have come an incredible method.”

Because it leans so closely on the cloud, Flight Simulator is a “residing recreation” within the truest sense, Neumann mentioned. The entire machine studying algorithms the sport depends on will steadily enhance over time, as the corporate irons out bugs and optimizes the engine. (And maybe turns into extra conscious of potential points, just like the typo that created a 212-story tower in Melbourne.)  However he factors out the algorithms can solely be pretty much as good because the supply information, so Microsoft is working more durable to refine that as nicely.