Take a look at this scene. What’s the first thing that caught your eye? If you’re like the volunteers of a recent study, then the answer might not be what you think. Using a type of AI model known as a deep convolutional neural network, researchers analyzed the eye movements of 20 volunteers presented with a series of different images. They discovered that instead of jumping first to simple features like changes in color, brightness, or orientation, which scientists long believed was the case, the volunteers tended to focus first on more complex features. While more research is needed to understand how and why the brain may target “higher-order” features before “lower-order” ones, these findings could be useful in designing better traffic signs, in making catchier advertisements, or in creating more user-friendly digital interfaces.