A thing that caught my eye in this post from Shaun this morning is how the military is using AI to process changing infrastructure seen in enormous image databanks, a task that used to be done by humans painstakingly comparing photos. AI is also (apparently) able to discern the reasons for the changes and suggest ideas for counteraction.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/1187025-drones-ai-data-analytics-future-war.html#post12575784
I have to imagine that teams that are currently sorting through vast piles of 'spy' photos taken at every opportunity are looking at AI for exactly the same reason. I do know that the teams run hundreds of simulations the night before a race after qualifying to try to determine how which strategies will yield the highest theoretical finish. There's no reason not to let AI help in figuring out how new ideas from other teams will help the car.
(At the beginning of the year, I figured McLaren with their fancy brake ducting technology wouldn't be challenged at all throughout the whole year; the ability to control tire temp like that seemed like a complete gamechanger, along the lines of the Mercedes powerplant at the beginning of the Lewis era) but somehow, Redbull figured something out that superceded the McLaren dominance. AI? Who knows!)