You're right vinnik. Just let them do it. Watson vs Deep blue. They should have shown Kasparov Wat'son the Deep Blue log?

@millvillage - if you look at the trends toward true AI, you will realize how much better computers will become with all types of thinking. they are a machine representation of human thinking. after all, humans created them. at some point, their level of complexity will become so great that for humans to derive benefit from them, we will have to interface in more integrative ways which will introduce the era of Borg.  i did not miss your point. computers have already been proven to be very useful. if they were not, they would not be such an integral part of businesses throughout the world even if humans are irreplaceable to some people's belief.

The title if very offending.

mustgrowup,

I think you missed the point....

@millvillage - computers don't have to justify their existence but perhaps you do. besides, humans made computers or did you forget that little detail.

Computers have to 'know' a huge data base to justify their existence.

Humans do not.

wanna see Watson vs Carlsen!

we all know the next step: Terminator!!!

Google is your friend.

I thought Jeapardy was rigged anyway ...

(In english the term rigged or fixed a game means to defraud a result during the game, while also meaning to make something like an electric circuit ...Lots of game shows were accused of rigging the show to either produce a winner or by using actors).

@Oleg-86: The logic being tested is an initial test of natural language processing for a specific game. If IBM chose to turn attention to your game of choice, I'm certain they would find a way to win without cheating. You can disregard computing progress when your human ego fears obsolescence but it is only a matter of time before you will have to acknowledge the biological limitations of your brain. It's not to be feared; you just have to realize how much freedom it will bring. In fact, it is the next step in our evolution. In addition, I find it somewhat hypocritical that many will pooh-pooh the accomplishments of the computing field for demonstrations like Deep Blue and Watson, yet go goo-goo over iPods, laptops and other computing devices.

@scorici: I agree with you and thought it was unclassy of IBM not to give Kasparov more access to the computer's log. It showed how much effort they had invested into the project, how much they had to lose, and how close to equal they were to Kasparov. Without their ad hoc updates and denials to Kasparov, I don't believe they would have won. But they are a business and that was definitely a publicity stunt.

Watson reminds me of this short story:

http://www.multivax.com/last_question.html

Then tell me please, dear computer-lovers, why AI can do nothing in, e. g., Heroes of might&magic, the game similar to chess but, of cos', much more complicated as it's a turn-based strategy? Even providing not the same amount of primary resources, but when a human player has a handicap in the beg.? :)

I'm not a Kasparov fan , but the way that was treated during the game with Deep Blue was not fair . They wanted to crush him no matter what. Kasparov asked them for the log file but they refused , Kasparov asked for a remach and they refused . It's normal for IBM to play dirty just like in a dirty business , win the publicity no matter the cost . Even if he lost to a computer fair IMB trashed Kasparov is so many ways by refusing so many things that ware normal to do if they would play right , but instead they played as dirty as they can . This is bussines not fairness. Now Kasparov admits that computers can beat any players but the way he lost in that match was just not right , a total lack of fairplay from IBM.

Please excuse my bad english.

People disparage Watson because it's just using a giant database of information and a boatload of computing power to come up with the answers, but that's all the human brain does.  When we see a chair in a room, we know that is a chair and not a refridgerator because we have a wealth of memories and experiences to draw from.  This is the way computers will function in the future as they grow in computing power: using vast databases of information and increasingly powerful processing to mimick intelligence.  Let's just hope they never do become self-aware though because our way of life has become dependant on them.  Maybe they'll just view us as pets instead of adversaries...

This is just a publicity stunt done by ibm for their 100 year aniversary. That's all there is here. From this kind of PR manuvers this corporation attracts it's clients, it diverts attention from the low quality of most of the software it produces. For a medical assistant the emphasis is not on the response time (as is the case for jeopardy) but on the quality of the answer based on a much larger field of knowledge and on the quality of the "doubt meter".

IBM was suspected of cheating with the Deep Blue in an event much more transparent than this one. Who would have the interest and the credibility to accuse them of cheating now? The TV company?! No way, it's good publicity for them too. The two no-names it competed against?!

 this question of man vs comp. is silly.... think of it another way. if?  instead of chess or jep. the human just walks away to do a million other things ... THE COMPUTER SITS THERE IN ITS STEEL OUTFIT WAITING FOR THE  ON BUTTON..

Chess and jeopardy are games played in two different ways. Jeopardy is a memory game, which means recalling events that happened before, chess is partly memory and great deal of position evaluation. It can make moves that never happened before. They were programmed to perform this way.

Computer sentience is inevitable. 

Wait until computers unionize....   : )

I am old enough to remember the first computer chess programs and set top games. I still have my Novag Super Constellation. Remember: "Computers are good but will never be able to win games under time controls against GM's". Remember that? This looks very similar to me.....I wonder what will happen once it becomes self aware?That's for you young folks to deal with! By the way, I fired up the Novag for old times sake....it's still pretty good!

How about Watson vs. Deep blue? LOL!