IBM to Contribute in Human vs. Machine Competition

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IBM unveiled details of an advanced computing system that will be able to compete with humans on Jeopardy, America’s favorite quiz show.

IBM unveiled details of an advanced computing system that will be able to compete with humans on Jeopardy, Americas favorite quiz show. Additionally, officials from Jeopardy! announced plans to produce a human vs. machine competition on the renowned show.


For nearly two years, IBM scientists have been working on a highly advanced Question Answering (QA) system, codenamed "Watson." The scientists believe that the computing system will be able to understand complex questions and answer with enough precision and speed to compete on Jeopardy!


Produced by Sony Pictures Television and distributed by CBS Television Distribution, Jeopardy! is a game demanding knowledge and quick recall, covering a broad range of topics, such as history, literature, politics, film, pop culture, and science. It poses a grand challenge for a computing system due to the variety of subject matter, the speed at which contestants must provide accurate responses, and because the clues

given to contestants involve analyzing subtle meaning, irony, riddles, and other complexities at which humans excel and computers traditionally do not. Watson will incorporate massively parallel analytical capabilities and, just like human competitors, Watson will not be connected to the Internet or have any other outside assistance.


The essence of making decisions is recognizing patterns in vast amounts of data, sorting through choices and options, and responding quickly and accurately, said Samuel J. Palmisano, IBM Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. Watson is a compelling example of how the planet companies, industries, cities is becoming smarter. With advanced computing power and deep analytics, we can infuse business and societal systems with intelligence. This project is the latest example of IBMs longstanding commitment to fundamental research and to overcoming grand challenges in science and technology.


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