Spending thousands of hours playing Grand Theft Auto might have questionable benefits for humans, but it could help make computers significantly more intelligent. Several research groups are now using the hugely popular game, which features fast cars and various nefarious activities, to train algorithms that might enable a self-driving car to navigate a real road.

"Self-Driving Cars Can Learn a Lot by Playing Grand Theft Auto" is from technologyreview.com, published on September 12, 2016.