Subscribe now

Technology

AI can predict tipping points for systems from forests to power grids

Combining two neural networks has helped researchers predict potentially disastrous collapses in complex systems, such as financial crashes or power blackouts

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

24 July 2024

Tipping points can leave once lush forests dried out

Piotr Poznan/Shutterstock

AI can predict when complex systems like forests, animal populations or the power grid will suddenly start behaving very differently. Identifying such tipping points may help avert disastrous collapses in biology or human infrastructure.

“History is full of harmful critical transitions, such as financial market crashes, disease outbreaks and blackouts,” says Gang Yan at Tongji University in China.

To make predicting such transitions more precise, he and his colleagues combined two different types of…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 2nd of July 2024.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account