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The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Kniwt on April 26, 2009, 11:25:54 PM

Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: Kniwt on April 26, 2009, 11:25:54 PM
Monday's New York Times has a long story about plans to have a computer compete against humans on "Jeopardy!".  It appears that the show's producers have bought in to the idea.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/technolo...?ref=technology (http://\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/technology/27jeopardy.html?ref=technology\")
Quote
I.B.M. plans to announce Monday that it is in the final stages of completing a computer program to compete against human “Jeopardy!” contestants.

... Under the rules of the match that the company has negotiated with the “Jeopardy!” producers, the computer will not have to emulate all human qualities. It will receive questions as electronic text. The human contestants will both see the text of each question and hear it spoken by the show’s host, Alex Trebek.
And in a development that will be sure to please Malcolm:
Quote
The I.B.M. researchers and “Jeopardy!” producers said they were considering what form their cybercontestant would take and what gender it would assume. One possibility would be to use an animated avatar that would appear on a computer display.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: Matt Ottinger on April 26, 2009, 11:41:11 PM
One step closer to Star Trek.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: TimK2003 on April 27, 2009, 09:11:55 AM
And if IBM uses various different avatars, representing different people, then Malcolm may have a shot to reunite with Alex. :)

/Would be a little suspicious if Malcolm started to rack up some serious wins.
//Would be even more suspicious if he drew his own picture in Final J! to win his own Malcolm Jackpot! :)
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: tvwxman on April 27, 2009, 09:23:29 AM
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'214157\' date=\'Apr 26 2009, 11:41 PM\']
One step closer to Star Trek.
[/quote]
Nah. One step closer to 2001:A Space Odyssey.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: JIANORAN on April 27, 2009, 10:06:56 AM
Could The Computer Program vs. Humans game of Jeopardy will not be televised?
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: parliboy on April 27, 2009, 10:34:41 AM
[quote name=\'JIANORAN\' post=\'214177\' date=\'Apr 27 2009, 09:06 AM\'] Could The Computer Program vs. Humans game of Jeopardy will not be televised? [/quote]
Only if the revolution is too.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: TheLastResort on April 27, 2009, 10:59:16 AM
I hope it isn't running Vista, or it will crash before the Double Jeopardy round.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: JIANORAN on April 27, 2009, 06:56:21 PM
[quote name=\'TheLastResort\' post=\'214180\' date=\'Apr 27 2009, 09:59 AM\']
I hope it isn't running Vista, or it will crash before the Double Jeopardy round.
[/quote]

Maybe It Will Not Going To Happen.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: comicus on April 27, 2009, 07:53:18 PM
Didn't this happen already, back in 2004?

(Deep KenJen?)
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: aaron sica on April 27, 2009, 08:25:31 PM
[quote name=\'JIANORAN\' post=\'214177\' date=\'Apr 27 2009, 10:06 AM\']
Could The Computer Program vs. Humans game of Jeopardy will not be televised?
[/quote]

All your base are belong to us?
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: clemon79 on April 27, 2009, 08:27:12 PM
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'214215\' date=\'Apr 27 2009, 05:25 PM\']
[quote name=\'JIANORAN\' post=\'214177\' date=\'Apr 27 2009, 10:06 AM\']
Could The Computer Program vs. Humans game of Jeopardy will not be televised?[/quote]
All your base are belong to us?[/quote]
Closer to "How is babby formed?", I'm thinking.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: Joe Mello on April 27, 2009, 09:56:34 PM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'214217\' date=\'Apr 27 2009, 08:27 PM\']
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'214215\' date=\'Apr 27 2009, 05:25 PM\']
[quote name=\'JIANORAN\' post=\'214177\' date=\'Apr 27 2009, 10:06 AM\']
Could The Computer Program vs. Humans game of Jeopardy will not be televised?[/quote]
All your base are belong to us?[/quote]
Closer to "How is babby formed?", I'm thinking.
[/quote]
Why not both and more (http://\"http://xkcd.com/550/\")?
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: GiraffeBoy on April 28, 2009, 12:50:37 AM
[quote name=\'Kniwt\' post=\'214155\' date=\'Apr 26 2009, 08:25 PM\'] Monday's New York Times has a long story about plans to have a computer compete against humans on "Jeopardy!". It appears that the show's producers have bought in to the idea.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/technolo...?ref=technology (http://\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/technology/27jeopardy.html?ref=technology\")
[/quote]Sounds interesting, but I'd rather see match-ups like these (http://\"http://www.kottke.org/04/07/ken-jennings-jeopardy\").

--Charlie
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: rugrats1 on April 28, 2009, 12:44:04 PM
Curiously, what will happen if the computer becomes champion? Will it play on like the humans, or will the second place contestant become champ?
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: clemon79 on April 28, 2009, 02:45:54 PM
[quote name=\'rugrats1\' post=\'214282\' date=\'Apr 28 2009, 09:44 AM\']
Curiously, what will happen if the computer becomes champion? Will it play on like the humans, or will the second place contestant become champ?[/quote]
You're kidding, right?
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: chad1m on April 28, 2009, 02:52:27 PM
[quote name=\'rugrats1\' post=\'214282\' date=\'Apr 28 2009, 12:44 PM\']Curiously, what will happen if the computer becomes champion? Will it play on like the humans, or will the second place contestant become champ?[/quote]Nope, the computer will remain champion until he is defeated. Alex will feed checks into his floppy drive at the end of every show, presumably used to purchase computer-themed tchotchkes on eBay.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: Jay Temple on April 28, 2009, 02:56:17 PM
I'm less interested in how often the computer responds correctly than in how it wagers.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: Speedy G on April 28, 2009, 07:51:44 PM
I have a very important question.

If the computer can buzz in faster than humanly possible, doesn't that mean it also beats the staffer who turns on the buzzers in the first place?
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: Kevin Prather on April 28, 2009, 07:54:28 PM
[quote name=\'Speedy G\' post=\'214317\' date=\'Apr 28 2009, 04:51 PM\']
I have a very important question.

If the computer can buzz in faster than humanly possible, doesn't that mean it also beats the staffer who turns on the buzzers in the first place?
[/quote]
Not if it responds to the buzzers being turned on.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: rugrats1 on April 28, 2009, 09:42:00 PM
[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'214296\' date=\'Apr 28 2009, 02:52 PM\']Alex will feed checks into his floppy drive at the end of every show, presumably used to purchase computer-themed tchotchkes on eBay.
[/quote]

They must be using an outdated computer, as many people use flash drives now.
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: weaklink75 on April 28, 2009, 10:16:58 PM
It's an interesting idea...and I agree, the wagering on DD's and FJ would be the most intriguing thing about it. I think you would have to do it more than once however- maybe do a special week of shows and have 5 different pairs of players come in of various ages- say two kids, two teens, two college players, two normal J! champs, then finish off the week with Jennings and Rutter (Call it the "Man vs Machine Invitational" or something like that).
Title: NYT: Computer Program to Take On ‘Jeopardy!’
Post by: chad1m on April 28, 2009, 10:37:50 PM
[quote name=\'rugrats1\' post=\'214331\' date=\'Apr 28 2009, 09:42 PM\']They must be using an outdated computer, as many people use flash drives now.[/quote]It's much more difficult to feed $20,000 into a USB port.