By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
SmartData Collective
  • Analytics
    AnalyticsShow More
    data science anayst
    Growing Demand for Data Science & Data Analyst Roles
    6 Min Read
    predictive analytics in dropshipping
    Predictive Analytics Helps New Dropshipping Businesses Thrive
    12 Min Read
    data-driven approach in healthcare
    The Importance of Data-Driven Approaches to Improving Healthcare in Rural Areas
    6 Min Read
    analytics for tax compliance
    Analytics Changes the Calculus of Business Tax Compliance
    8 Min Read
    big data analytics in gaming
    The Role of Big Data Analytics in Gaming
    10 Min Read
  • Big Data
  • BI
  • Exclusive
  • IT
  • Marketing
  • Software
Search
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Dear Watson: What is life?
Share
Notification Show More
Latest News
ai in automotive industry
AI Is Changing the Automotive Industry Forever
Artificial Intelligence
SMEs Use AI-Driven Financial Software for Greater Efficiency
Artificial Intelligence
data security in big data age
6 Reasons to Boost Data Security Plan in the Age of Big Data
Big Data
data science anayst
Growing Demand for Data Science & Data Analyst Roles
Data Science
ai software development
Key Strategies to Develop AI Software Cost-Effectively
Artificial Intelligence
Aa
SmartData Collective
Aa
Search
  • About
  • Help
  • Privacy
Follow US
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
SmartData Collective > Big Data > Data Visualization > Dear Watson: What is life?
Data Visualization

Dear Watson: What is life?

StephenBaker1
Last updated: 2011/02/18 at 6:41 AM
StephenBaker1
3 Min Read
SHARE

Scouring Twitter for Watson stuff, I just came across some deep questions for the machine from @larrylugo, such as:

Scouring Twitter for Watson stuff, I just came across some deep questions for the machine from @larrylugo, such as:

Larry Lugo
larrylugo Larry Lugo

More Read

Watson Analytics: The Data Scientist Accelerator

IBM Bets a Billion to Mobilize Watson Business Unit and Monetize Cognitive Computing
Watson 2.0, Platform Thinking and Data Marketplaces
Chatting with Your Computer: How the iPhone’s Siri Compares with IBM’S Watson
Decision Services, Watson and Cognitive Computing

 

Ok, Watson, a simple question: What is life? #askwatson
Now, Larry was probably kidding or poking holes in Watson’s Q/A mastery. But it reminded me that when I was on Brian Lehrer’s WNYC radio show yesterday, listeners were sending in similar puzzlers for Watson. One of them asked the machine where Osama Bin Laden might be.

Most of you know this, but just to be clear. Watson doesn’t …quot;know…quot; anything. It uses more than 100 different methods to track down possible answers to Jeopardy clues, and then uses sophisticated analytics involving lots of statistics to …quot;score…quot; those candidate answers, calculating whether it has enough confidence in one of them to bet. It certainly does not …quot;understand…quot; in the way we do, and it is no philosopher.

That said, if you gave Watson the following Jeopardy clue (crafted from Wikipedia) — …’This distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining process from those that do not…’– I’m pretty sure Watson itself would come up with the question …’What is life?’; (One significant piece of evidence: The words come from a Wikipedia page called …’life’)

Now as far as Bin Laden goes, I have no doubt that Watson could answer that question as well (or poorly) as the rest of us. It would see from press reports that Bin Laden is probably somewhere in Pakistan. But I highly doubt that Watson’s trove includes classified intelligence documents, or even those published on Wikileaks. It just reads what the rest of us do–but more of it, and faster.

***
In one other note, Andrew Dunn reviews Final Jeopardy for Bloomberg News. He quotes one paragraph I enjoyed writing. It had to do with the resentment that many in the Artificial Intelligence community felt for Watson.

…’The world would see, and perhaps fall in love with, a machine that only simulated intelligence’.. Baker writes. …’The machine was too dumb, too ignorant, too famous, and too rich. (In that sense, IBM’s computer resembled lots of other television stars.)

 

TAGGED: jeopardy, Watson
StephenBaker1 February 18, 2011
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn
Share

Follow us on Facebook

Latest News

ai in automotive industry
AI Is Changing the Automotive Industry Forever
Artificial Intelligence
SMEs Use AI-Driven Financial Software for Greater Efficiency
Artificial Intelligence
data security in big data age
6 Reasons to Boost Data Security Plan in the Age of Big Data
Big Data
data science anayst
Growing Demand for Data Science & Data Analyst Roles
Data Science

Stay Connected

1.2k Followers Like
33.7k Followers Follow
222 Followers Pin

You Might also Like

Watson Analytics: The Data Scientist Accelerator

10 Min Read

IBM Bets a Billion to Mobilize Watson Business Unit and Monetize Cognitive Computing

15 Min Read

Watson 2.0, Platform Thinking and Data Marketplaces

3 Min Read

Chatting with Your Computer: How the iPhone’s Siri Compares with IBM’S Watson

5 Min Read

SmartData Collective is one of the largest & trusted community covering technical content about Big Data, BI, Cloud, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, IoT & more.

ai in ecommerce
Artificial Intelligence for eCommerce: A Closer Look
Artificial Intelligence
data-driven web design
5 Great Tips for Using Data Analytics for Website UX
Big Data

Quick Link

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Follow US

© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Go to mobile version
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?