Back in the Stone Age, before we were all completely plugged in and focused on our gadgets at all times (you know, like, 2002), people would get ... bored. Of course, everyone still finds themselves bogged down by dull moments throughout the day, even with the brightly-lit screens of their devices jockeying for attention. Google, one of the biggest boredom fighters known to man, just dropped a brand new distraction to keep us all occupied. And it's based on one of the all-time classic time-killing activities: doodling.
Quick, Draw!, which is just one of the features in Google's new A.I. Experiments initiative, gives players a favorite new mindless activity in exchange for training its machine-learning tech systems. It's a win-win for everyone involved.The concept is simple and akin Draw Something with AI. After entering the portal, the computer prompts players to sketch an object on a 20-second clock using the mouse or touchscreen. While the player doodles, the neural network throws out its best guesses of the subject, stopping mid-sketch if it's correct.
I gave it a try on a desktop and my iPhone. It's a fun time. But I have to admit, I'm not very good at it.