The computer that won a game show
The IBM supercomputer Watson has hammered two human opponents on the American game show Jeopardy!
Watson was competing over three nights against two legends of the show, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Jennings once won 74 episodes in a row, the most ever, and Rutter holds the record for the most money won on the programme.
Jeopardy! was seen as a good test for a computer because it is fast, and contestants need to be able to work out the subtle meanings, puns, and riddles found in the clues. Watson relied on his programming and memory and wasn’t connected to the internet.
The research that has gone into Watson could be useful for doctors, lawyers, and businessmen to allow them to make sense of huge amounts of data.
Reference: http://www.firstnews.co.uk
Guide Questions:
- What was the name of this computer?
- In what game show did it win?
- Who was it competing with?
- Why did the show choose those two people to compete with Watson?
- Why was the show, Jeopardy, seen as a good test for a computer?
- Why did the writer say that the research done with Watson could also be useful for other people, especially doctors, lawyers, and businessmen?
- Do you think there will be a time when computers or robots will be better than humans? Why or why not?
