Jeopardy

[Gutshot John]

IBM Challenge tonight. IBM's Watson Computer is challenging the two top Jeopardy players.

[dookie1481]

IBM Challenge tonight. IBM's Watson Computer is challenging the two top Jeopardy players.

I just watched the NOVA special about that the other night. Pretty fascinating.

[5pins]

Looks like Watson did very well today.

[montanadave]

It appeared to me as though Watson's principal advantage was the ability to "ring in" almost instantaneously regardless of whether it had fully processed the clue and formulated a response whereas both Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter had that slight, "human" hesitation when deciding whether to "ring in."

The actual clues were, for the most part, not that difficult. Both of these guys kicked ass with material as tough, if not tougher, during their respective runs on the show. Looked like it was straight up reaction time that gave Watson the upper hand, processor, whatever.

[dookie1481]

It appeared to me as though Watson's principal advantage was the ability to "ring in" almost instantaneously regardless of whether it had fully processed the clue and formulated a response whereas both Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter had that slight, "human" hesitation when deciding whether to "ring in."

The actual clues were, for the most part, not that difficult. Both of these guys kicked ass with material as tough, if not tougher, during their respective runs on the show. Looked like it was straight up reaction time that gave Watson the upper hand, processor, whatever.

I wonder if that is part of the programming...say it reaches a certain amount of "confidence" in it's answer, like 80% certainty or whatnot, and buzzes based on that while it is still processing. I assume they would figure out a way to game it and make that a part of Watson's programming. I imagine it would make sense, since the guys working on the project have a lot at stake.

[rickrock305]

Fascinating stuff. The technology behind the process is amazing.

[Spiffums]

They talked about this at church. Everyone was like IT CAN THINK!!!....... I was like no it can process spoken word. Same idea as all the computers in sci fi movies and books. It comes up with the answer because it has all that information stored on its drives like any other PC. It is just the interface that is different.


They usually don't like me at church.

[ST911]

SKYNET: I'll take "Eradicating Humans for $500, Alex."

[SWATcop556]

SKYNET: I'll take "Eradicating Humans for $500, Alex."

My thoughts exactly....

[Jerm]

I didn't get to watch but...



I wonder if that is part of the programming...say it reaches a certain amount of "confidence" in it's answer, like 80% certainty or whatnot, and buzzes based on that while it is still processing. I assume they would figure out a way to game it and make that a part of Watson's programming. I imagine it would make sense, since the guys working on the project have a lot at stake.

Why would that be necessary?... And/or how would it be any different from what a human would be doing?

I usually know the answers (the ones I do actually know) before either myself or Trebek finishes reading it.

As far as reaction time the computer wouldn't need a head start to dominate it's human competition.

[5pins]

Trebek: “An early prototype of Skynet”. Watson.

Watson: “what is Watson?”