Who Will Win Washington vs. New Orleans Saints? A.I. Predicts
So, uh, is New Orleans ever losing again?
The New Orleans Saints have refused to lose since a gross-looking 0-2 start to the season, and they may have played their two best games in the past two weeks’ blowouts. Washington has struggled this season, but they have some big upsets under their belt. A hive mind of about 30 NFL fans predicts the Saints will win.
The gentle rest of a New York Giants game awaits Washington next week, but for now they have to play their third straight game against a division leader. They previous lost close to the Minnesota Vikings in a shootout and survived the Seattle Seahawks 17-14, so the team has the potential to upset the Saints. Then again, there are few tougher places to play than the Superdome when the Saints are rolling, and the Saints have now been rolling for seven straight games.
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From their last game in 2015.
To predict the result of this and other games, Unanimous A.I. used what’s known as swarm intelligence to forecast the week’s slate. About 40 NFL fans worked together as a hive mind to make picks. As you can see in the animation below, each participant controlled a little golden magnet and used it to drag the puck toward the answer they thought was the most likely outcome. As the users saw the puck move toward a particular outcome, it triggers a psychological response. They readjust their decision-making, building toward a consensus. Here’s Unanimous A.I. founder Louis Rosenberg explaining swarm intelligence at a recent TEDx Talk.
Unanimous A.I. has made some scarily accurate predictions in the past using swarm intelligence, as our previous article explains. For instance, the swarm went a perfect 7-0 in its most recommended picks for a recent English Premier League slate.
The swarm likes the Saints to win with high confidence, though 84 percent brainpower suggests there’s at least a small amount of dissent there.
The hive mind likes the Saints to win by seven to nine points, with 90 percent brainpower behind the pick. That tracks with the Vegas line, which favors New Orleans by 7.5 points.
The game kicks off 1 p.m. Eastern Sunday on Fox.
