University of Texas at Dallas researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that could help electrical grids prevent power outages by automatically rerouting electricity in milliseconds. The approach is an early example of “self-healing grid” technology, which uses AI to detect and repair problems such as outages autonomously and without human intervention when issues occur, such as storm-damaged power lines. “Our goal is to find the optimal path to send power to the majority of users as quickly as possible. Led by co-corresponding author Dr. Souma Chowdhury, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, University at Buffalo researchers focused on the reinforcement learning aspect of the project. After focusing on preventing outages, the researchers will aim to develop similar technology to repair and restore the grid after a power disruption.