Watson takes on "Jeopardy!"

So Watson's ability to push the buzzer really fast (no surprise, since speed is whole point of computers) is giving it the edge? That's kind of boring, and hardly an advertisement for artificial intelligence.

 

That's not necessarily true.

 

Absolutely.

Missed last night's live action due to outside obligations (will miss tonight's, too, but will have both on tape), but still hold out hope for the flesh-and-blood.

 

It appeared to me that Watson had a huge advantage when it came to the buzzer. I'm 100% sure the computer was quicker ringing in on many, many answers that any of the contestants would have answered correctly. To me, this does make the whole enterprise a little more boring.

 

This. I think Ken and Brad know the answers, but they have no chance to buzz in.

 

Ken Jenning's Final Jeopardy sub-answer was GREAT!!

 

Right, but the amazing thing is that the computer can get the answer right. While parsing language is easy for us, it's been very, very, very, hard for computers. To parse language, build connections within a database to form an answer, and do it all at a very rapid speed is impressive, even if he's not as good as a human is.

 

I'm not denying it's an amazing accomplishment, just that the game's rules, which Watson used fair and square, give an advantage to PHYSICALLY moving at the speed of light. And that's boring.

 

Ken Jennings was moving at the speed of light ca. 2004. More famous than Van Doren, and for the right reasons.

The cynic that roosts within me comes out to frolick naked and dance when shit like this happens.

If Ken Jennings bested Watson, it would be a shitshow for Jeopardy and IBM. So, naturally, it would not happen.

 

Like a typical PC, Watson kept crashing.

http://gizmodo.com/#!5762296/watson-crashed-multiple-times-on-jeopardy-plus-other-watson-tidbits

 

Exactly.

This was what made the whole escapade at once entertaining and boring. Entertaining, from the standpoint of seeing Watson's crazy wagers and how it would process some of these questions. Boring from two standpoints: the utter geekfest and IBM commercial that made me glad I DVRed it and the standpoint that the buzzer on Jeopardy is EVERYTHING.

All three contestants on any given show probably know two-thirds of the answers, which is where the elusive mistress that is the buzzer comes in. It's as much rhythm as timing; buzz in early (or before Trebek finishes the question) and you get frozen out for a half-second -- an eternity. Buzz in late and someone else kicks your ass.

Once you get in a rhythm, as you saw Ken Jennings do in 2004-05 or Watson this week, you can absolutely bury your opponents. Hence, Watson's insurmountable advantage.

That said, it would have been a blast to be up there. Jennings walked away with $150k; Rutter with $100k after charity.

 

CONGRATS, RICK STAIN!!!