The competition will take a while. It doesn't start until 2017, and won't pick a winner until early 2020. DARPA will even have to create a giant wireless testbed to see how the competitors fare in relatively realistic conditions. It could be worthwhile, though, as the winner will scoop up a $2 million prize.

The institution notes that there could be clear advantages to AI-based radios in the military, which could keep communications up and running on the battlefield. However, they'd also mitigate problems for just about everyone -- you wouldn't have to worry about your smartphone's data bogging down in a busy part of town, or watch nearby networks interfere with your drone flight. Wireless technologies like 5G or unlicensed cellular could become that much more practical, as you wouldn't see their potential wasted by arbitrary spectrum rules.