Science

Who Will Win Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers? A.I. Predicts

Detroit seeks a rare road win.

Getty Images / Gregory Shamus

The Detroit Lions have won a single game in Green Bay since Bill Clinton took office. But with star Packers Aaron Rodgers quarterback out with an injury, the Lions have a chance to get another rare victory at Lambeau Field. A hive mind of about 30 NFL fans predicts Detroit will indeed win Monday.

Brett Hundley makes only his second start in place of Rodgers, and his first one didn’t go well: He managed just 87 yards passing last week against the New Orleans Saints. The Lions aren’t coming into Monday’s game in terrific shape, as they are looking to snap a three-game losing streak and have a chance at closing the gap behind the surprising Minnesota Vikings for the division lead.

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From their last meeting on New Year's Day 2017.

Getty Images / Gregory Shamus

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. More than 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.

Unanimous A.I.

The hive mind doesn’t feel great about either team, but the eventual pick is Detroit, albeit with low confidence. You can see just how long the swarm hesitates before making that eventual pick, though.

Unanimous A.I.

The hive mind likes Detroit to win by four to six points, with 86 percent brainpower behind the choice. The Vegas line is Detroit by 2.5 points, so Unanimous A.I. considers this a bet that is at best worthy of caution.

The game kicks off 8:30 p.m. Eastern Monday on ESPN.

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