Thursday 9 July 2009

+++ IBM develops a speaking computer that can replace an MP +++


IBM have created a supercomputer that will appear on the American programme Jeopardy. Named "Watson" it is being designed to compete against human contestants in the TV show.

From geek.com :

Just like the human contestants, Watson will be be given questions in regular American English. The human communication form is being used by Watson to demonstrate its ability to break down natural language questions into their true, baser or inherent meaning, with the appropriate answers being determined from its vast repository of knowledge, and all within a couple seconds.

However, it is no Terminator or HAL - here is one of the responses to a Jeopardy question:

Host: “The cause of the French and Indian war was the struggle for control of this area, in the modern-day Midwest.

”Watson: “What is Paris?”

Well, that may be good enough for a truth-avoiding Labour MP on Newsnight, but sadly on a highbrow show like Jeopardy, it may struggle a tad.

1 comment:

  1. Sounds a perfect substitute for Sarah Palin but much less spent on dresses.

    ReplyDelete