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Answer: The New Jeopardy! Champion

By IGI Global on Feb 17, 2011
Question: What is Watson?

In a three day televised championship Watson, an impressive new IBM computer, beat two of the show's best-known winners, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Jennings became famous on Jeopardy! after winning 74 consecutive shows and setting the record for the longest winning streak. Rutter also became famous on the show after winning $3.3 million and setting the record for the most winnings on the show. ( www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-12/ibms-triviabot-watson-take-ken-jennings-man-vs-machine-episode-jeopardy) Making its debut this week, Watson stunningly won $77,147, beating each of the other contestants by over $50,000.

Although Watson does not have the thinking and processing power contained in the human brain, the computer was certainly not at a disadvantage. Watson is comprised of 10 racks of IBM servers that together contain 2,800 very powerful computers working as a system. The system has 15 terabytes (which is equivalent to 15,000 gigabytes) of RAM and access to millions of pages of content, although it does not connect to the internet to search for answers. Answers are generated within the computer using algorithms and its memory. ( www.tradingmarkets.com/news/stock-alert/ibm_supercomputer-trounces-human-champions-in-tv-trivia-quiz-show-1498617.html)

This new technology is being put to use immediately. IBM plans to announce today that "it will collaborate with Columbia University and the University of Maryland to create a physician's assistant service that will allow doctors to query a cybernetic assistant. The company also plans to work with Nuance Communications Inc. to add voice recognition to the physician's assistant, possibly making the service available in as little as 18 months," according to an article in the New York Times.

The winnings from the show will also be put to good use. IBM has promised to donate 100% of Watson's one million dollar prize to charity. ( www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-12/ibms-triviabot-watson-take-ken-jennings-man-vs-machine-episode-jeopardy)

Think you have what it takes to beat Watson? Test your knowledge in an interactive feature at www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/06/16/magazine/watson-trivia-game.html?ref=science.

IGI Global is committed to providing innovative research on topics in the field of artificial intelligence. One such important forthcoming reference, Machine Learning: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications, edited by the Information Resources Management Association, USA, is tentatively scheduled to be released in May. This comprehensive three-volume reference offers a wide-ranging selection of key research in a complex field of study. This multi-volume set will cover both broad concepts and specific applications. Chapters will discuss topics ranging from using machine learning to improve the effectiveness of agents and multi-agent systems to developing machine learning software for high frequency trading in financial markets. For more information on this title please visit www.igi-global.com/bookstore/titledetails.aspx?titleid=50312.Machine Learning: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications


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