Yes, that's right, geneTic, not geneRic. Genetic algorithms are shortcuts to "evolve" solutions to hard problems, by mimicking real-world biological evolution. They find "good enough" solutions much more quickly than precise calculation or brute-forcing the solution space. Their randomness often reveals great solutions that humans probably would never have thought of, such as NASA's twisty ST5 spacecraft antenna, developed by a genetic algorithm in 2006!

This talk will explain the concept, and then walk through some examples, explaining terms and pointing out tradeoffs and nuances along the way.

You will learn a powerful technique for solving problems that might otherwise be computationally intractable, including in ways no human would probably ever think of directly!