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#569926 02/14/11 09:10 PM
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Anyone else watch this? They made a computer to compete on Jeopardy.

Really impressive stuff.

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Geez, I thought Ben was on the TV show Jeopardy ...LOL


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A computer? That's cheating, I could win at jeopardy if I could use google...


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Quote:

Geez, I thought Ben was on the TV show Jeopardy ...LOL




Glad I am not the only one. Or were you joking?
Maybe I am the only one.


[color:"white"]I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane -Waylon Jennings
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No, me too thought Ben Watson.


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The only reason I didn't do the "Benjamin Watson MindJump" was because I heard of this media stunt 2 or 3 weeks ago. It didn't register enough on my radar to make a date to watch Jeapordy on the airing date.

BTW... how did Watson do?


"too many notes, not enough music-"

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They're playing two games... and they only showed the first round of the first game today. Currently Brad Rutter is tied with Watson at 5000 dollars with Ken at 2000

Watson though is pretty damn cool. They've worked on it for seven years and to do what it is doing is nothing short of amazing.

http://www-943.ibm.com/innovation/us/watson/

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Quote:

A computer? That's cheating, I could win at jeopardy if I could use google...




It's not as simple as that. The computer has to be able to comprehend the difference between literal terms and metaphors that often appear in clues....as well as those tricky ones that are pun style. It has the ability to analyze the human language and spit out a response in seconds. (it actually comes up with three responses, and it has a "buzz level" where it decides whether it is certain enough with it's first response to merit buzzing in)

Some obvious machine downfalls exist yet.....in one instance last night Ken Jennings incorrectly responded to an answer, then Watson buzzed in and gave the same incorrect answer.

Pretty neat stuff.......

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Skynet is becoming self aware.



Actually, this was pretty neat to watch.

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I thought it was pretty fascinating to watch. I want my own Watson!

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That's what I thought was fascinating too, Shep.

Also, the computer isn't hooked up to the internet, so it isn't like it's looking it up on google. But, we can assume they loaded it with just a ton of information.

But, the neat thing to me is what you said, Shep. The actual "thinking" and deciphering the clues. Also, it doesn't ring in if it isn't a certain level confident of the answer.

I thought it was really neat.


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[youtube] http://www.youtube.com/v/GyIf5oIjIC8 [youtube]

The entire NOVA program was well worth watching.

Here's a link to the full episode:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/smartest-machine-on-earth.html

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Quote:

Quote:

Geez, I thought Ben was on the TV show Jeopardy ...LOL




Glad I am not the only one. Or were you joking?
Maybe I am the only one.




Nope,, no joke, that was my first thought when I read the title...


#GMSTRONG

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Daniel Patrick Moynahan

"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
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Damn,, this machine could easily beat Mac and Jango at Jeopardy

Neither of them can grasp a concept or a question


#GMSTRONG

“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”
Daniel Patrick Moynahan

"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
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OMG ...

Post of the month!

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Quote:

Some obvious machine downfalls exist yet.....in one instance last night Ken Jennings incorrectly responded to an answer, then Watson buzzed in and gave the same incorrect answer.




That's a pretty big oversight.

I can see the programmers scrambling after the show to quickly throw in an extra if/then check.

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It doesn't use a speech-to-text algorithm to translate the 'answers' as Alex Trebek reads them; he explained that the computer is fed a text file when the question is read. So, it would need someone feeding it the responses as they're given by Ken and Brad with the same rate of speed that a person could synthesize the information in real-time.

The way it recorded the questions left me wondering exactly how and when it's given: a person can develop a response as the question is being read so he can ring in as soon as he's permitted. If the computer is given the entire text of the question when it starts to be read, it has the advantage of having all of the information at the beginning. Other scenarios present their own unique advantages and disadvantages.

There was another question Watson missed because the correct response was "missing a leg" and it simply said "leg"...clearly it interpreted the question properly but something in it's program caused it to give an incomplete response.

All in all, though, very fascinating (and a bit frightening!).

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Quote:

It doesn't use a speech-to-text algorithm to translate the 'answers' as Alex Trebek reads them




Why not? It's not like that's a science fiction technology ... sure it's a little hit or miss, but i'd love to hear the answers it spits out when it translates, "This man built an ark" to "Dismantle an ardvark"

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I don't know why...that's just how they designed it.

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Quote:

Quote:

It doesn't use a speech-to-text algorithm to translate the 'answers' as Alex Trebek reads them




Why not? It's not like that's a science fiction technology ... sure it's a little hit or miss, but i'd love to hear the answers it spits out when it translates, "This man built an ark" to "Dismantle an ardvark"



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Watson won 35K to 10K

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I thought it was pretty fascinating to watch. I want my own Watson!




the Browns need one of these, christyk, so they can decipher Dick LeBeau when they are on O and the Steelers are on D.


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Watson kicked butt last night....and his "Daily Double" wagers were interesting. Was wondering how "he" decided on how much to bet. Also wondered what prompted "him" when it was "his" turn to select the category/amount.......

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We must find and protect John Connor.

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Quote:

Watson kicked butt last night....and his "Daily Double" wagers were interesting. Was wondering how "he" decided on how much to bet. Also wondered what prompted "him" when it was "his" turn to select the category/amount.......




I heard he missed the Final Jeopardy question though ... on a "US Cities" catagory, he picked Toronto for the answer.

Only wagered like $900 and change though.

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Yeah, that's what happened.

I wonder why he chose Toronto? You'd think that, if he can figure out so much, he'd be able to limit his choices to US cities.

And, there are even fewer cities that even have 2 airports.

I'd be curious to see why he chose Toronto, of all places.


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I'm betting the programmers limited the "input" to only the questions themselves, and not the catagory. As someone mentioned, I guess he was "fed" text input for the questions, which leads me believe that the category itself was probably omitted.

I'm kind of bummed about the fact that they "fed text input though" ... if it's going to be a true competition of man vs computer, it should have to parse out human voice just like the human competitors do, and formulate an answer as the question is being read. Not get a text string ... instantly parse it, grab an answer, and then beat everyone to the buzzer because it has super-human buzzer clicking speed.

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I agree. Since Watson instantly processes information, the information shouldn't have been available as Trebek STARTS to read, it should've been closer to the end of the question. By the time Trebek was done asking the question, Watson already computed the answer.


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A better method would be having each word given the moment Alex says it ... so it has to process each word as it's being said. Or better yet, just have it process the actual speech like humans have to.

Or course then, Watson would have to get the whole sentence first to process it before delving into the answer bank ... and would get his butt kicked by humans who have usually formulated an answer by the time the question is finished.

Is this really that much different than having the "question" typed out in Google and hitting "go" as Trebek start to read it? Then if the results come up with something that looks right, having the super-human ability to buzz in first when he finishes?

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Quote:

I agree. Since Watson instantly processes information, the information shouldn't have been available as Trebek STARTS to read, it should've been closer to the end of the question. By the time Trebek was done asking the question, Watson already computed the answer.



It should be given as Trebek starts to read it......I read the clue and ignore Alex's reading and begin to formulate and oftentimes spit out an answer prior to him finishing the reading of the clue. As do the humans on the show which made them multiple winners.......their minds computing an answer as he read the clue.

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Ken Jennings seemed pretty ticked at Watson tonight.

Pretty interesting watching last couple of shows.

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Yes he did.....to be unseated as the Grand Poobah of Jeopardy by a machine must have been disheartening!

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Quote:

Ken Jennings seemed pretty ticked at Watson tonight.

Pretty interesting watching last couple of shows.




I thought both of those guys looked like they wanted to punch the avatar.

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I really liked Jennings' final answer

Who is Bram Stoker (I for one welcome our new computer overlords)


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http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/06/16/magazine/watson-trivia-game.html?smid=fb-nytimes

It's a game to see if you can beat the machine. Pretty cool, just about to try and see how I match up.


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I won 26 - 17. There were some questions Watson knew but wasn't sure enough to answer that would have been right. It's crazy the things it knows, but today, man won!


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I got killed on spelling. You have a slight advantage though, as it lets you answer before Watson can chime in.

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