Science

Who Will Win Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs? A.I. Predicts

Maybe time to wrap things up, Kansas City.

Getty Images / Jamie Squire

The Chiefs did all they could to give away their playoff spot, but they are now in great position to clinch the NFC West. The Miami Dolphins couldn’t capitalize on the biggest upset of the season and are now on the verge of elimination. A hive mind of about 30 NFL fans predicts Kansas City will win Sunday.

It was always a narrow path, but the Dolphins really did look like they had overcome injuries and figured things out just enough to sneak into the playoffs after they shocked the New England Patriots a couple weeks back. But five-game losing streaks do tend to leave no margin for error, and so a loss last week to the Buffalo Bills has left Miami a game away from elimination. Kansas City, on the other hand, has just about secured the AFC West after doing all they could to give it away, with only the Los Angeles Chargers having the slimmest of statistical chances at catching them. A win in either of their final two games — or a Los Angeles loss — would do it for the Chiefs.

From their last game in 2014.

Getty Images / Ronald Martinez

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 30 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 an English Premier League slate earlier this season.

Unanimous A.I.

The hive mind predicts the Chiefs will win with high confidence, with 76 percent brainpower behind the pick.

Unanimous A.I.

The swarm predicts the Chiefs will win by seven to nine points, with 85 percent brainpower behind the pick. The Vegas line favors Kansas City by 10 points.

The game kicks off 1 p.m. Eastern Sunday on CBS.

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