IBM signs up supercomputer for quiz show

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 28 Apr 2009 at 10:07

IBM is building a computer to take part in the popular US quiz show, Jeopardy.

Unlike the Deep Blue system that beat the chess world champion Garry Kasparov in 1997, the new system, dubbed Watson, is being created to show off the company's software rather than hardware.

Big Blue has been developing Watson's Question Answering software for two years, with the intention of creating a machine capable of understanding and responding to complex questions - even if they feature slang or double meanings.

IBM claims that if the machine does what it says on the tin it will represent a serious leap forward for "weak artificial intelligence" - the type created to handle a specific task.

"The essence of making decisions is recognising patterns in vast amounts of data, sorting through choices and options, and responding quickly and accurately," says IBM chief executive Samuel Palmisano.

"Watson is a compelling example of how the planet is becoming smarter. With advanced computing power and deep analytics, we can infuse business and societal systems with intelligence."

In this case, IBM is putting its money where its mouth is by promising to put Watson up against a field of human contestants in the quickfire question and answer quiz-show, which further muddies the water by presenting the answer first and asking the contestant for the question.

The programme's producers say they'll release details of when the challenge will air "soon".