Artificial intelligence is being hailed as the future of communication on Earth, and it could even bridge the gap between us and extraterrestrial civilizations. According to SETI Institute astronomer Franch Marchis and NASA researcher Ignacio G. Lopez-Francois, AI might enable meaningful interactions with aliens, or at least a version of us they can understand. In a Scientific American editorial, Marchis and Lopez-Francois, both deeply involved in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), champion the use of AI for “messaging extraterrestrial intelligence” (METI). They believe AI, specifically large language models (LLMs), could revolutionize our attempts to communicate with alien life. Humanity has been engaged in METI since the 1960s, sending various forms of communication into space, including music, scientific formulas, Morse Code, and maps. However, these efforts have yet to yield a response from extraterrestrials. Marchis and Lopez-Francois argue that AI could enhance METI by making our messages more interactive. They propose sending an AI LLM into space, which aliens could use to learn our languages, ask questions, and receive answers that reflect human knowledge and culture. With research suggesting the existence of potentially hundreds of millions of habitable exoplanets in the Milky Way, these scientists believe some of these worlds might host civilizations eager to communicate with us. Although current LLMs might not be perfect, open-source models from Meta and Mistral could be refined to serve as human ambassadors. Once developed, these AI models could be compressed through a process called “quantization,” which reduces large data sets to smaller, more manageable ones. They could then be transmitted via radio, laser, or even physical media like copper disks, though significant technological challenges remain. Marchis and Lopez-Francois conclude that sending well-crafted AI LLMs into space could pave the way for unprecedented exchanges with extraterrestrial intelligences, ensuring our legacy endures beyond our physical existence. The post Scientists propose using AI for real-time communication with aliens appeared first on Anomalien.com.