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needinit

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If you've been watching Jeopardy this week, the IBM Natural Language computer from IBM is playing (Watson)...what I noticed last night is that the computer always seems to be the first to the button and says what is it's/his? most probable answer - if it's/he's wrong then another contestant gets a chance to answer.

I am wondering if they have factored in any human response variance to actually pressing the button first - I know on a few occasions one of the humans gets first, but seems pretty rare.

Also wondering how the computer can fluff the final question - "which US city...." and he answers with Toronto ????? - typical American, still doesn't know Geography!!
 
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plunker

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It is just toying with the other two guys. Expect it to break a single day record tonight though. My understanding is that it doesn't ring in until it has a reasonable probability of the correct answer, just like the humans would do. It is usually first because it is that much quicker to access info than humanoids. Isn't this how Terminator started?
 
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Yoga Face

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needinit said:
If you've been watching Jeopardy this week, the IBM Natural Language computer from IBM is playing (Watson)...what I noticed last night is that the computer always seems to be the first to the button and says what is it's/his? most probable answer - if it's/he's wrong then another contestant gets a chance to answer.

I am wondering if they have factored in any human response variance to actually pressing the button first - I know on a few occasions one of the humans gets first, but seems pretty rare.

Also wondering how the computer can fluff the final question - "which US city...." and he answers with Toronto ????? - typical American, still doesn't know Geography!!
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My thoughts as well

As even I was aware of some of those answers it may mean computer can buzz quicker which seems unfair

This is a problem that is intrinsic and unfair

What if we both buzz at the same time

What if I am a faster buzzer

This is supposed to be a knowledge test not a reflex test


Computer is self taught - called machine learning - as it learns from its mistake


I hope it wins
 
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EJunkie

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Feb 11, 2011
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In the intro they mentioned that the clue is sent to Watson as a text file. They didn’t say (or I didn’t catch) when the file was sent.

If that file is sent as soon as the answer is flashed up; Watson has a clear advantage. The computer can process the data faster than a human can read, then start looking for answers sooner. Similarly, the timing as to when a contestant can push the button is visually picked up by the humans (I believe they have to wait until the lights surrounding the answer are either completely off or on), if was sent electronically to Watson (which it would have to); Watson would have an advantage.

Interesting to watch though.
 
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mikec8inch

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Feb 9, 2009
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i'm not sure how watson screwed up final jeoperdy that bad , he was ripping it.
it was "US Cities" Q: it's largest airport is named after a WW1 hero, it's 2nd largest airport is named after a WW2 battle. he anwsered Toronto! not sure how he came up with that as best possibility. Toronto largest pearson is named after a former PM , second largest is Toronto Islands . and US Cities! wtf?
I ruled out new york & l.a. and got chicago right.
 
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Yoga Face

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mikec8inch said:
i'm not sure how watson screwed up final jeoperdy that bad , he was ripping it.
it was "US Cities" Q: it's largest airport is named after a WW1 hero, it's 2nd largest airport is named after a WW2 hero. he anwsered Toronto! not sure how he came up with that as best possibility. Toronto largest pearson is named after a former PM , second largest is Toronto Islands . and US Cities! wtf?
I ruled out new york & l.a. and got chicago right.
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Something in the syntax fucked up Watson ( should of named it HAL)

But it will learn from its mistake by inductive reasoning ( or is it deductive)
 
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Spacewalker

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Commercial break on, but I'm watching it now. Double jeopardy coming up...

edit: I got Final Jeopardy...Who is Bram Stoker.
 
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Mervyn

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http://techland.time.com/2011/02/16/why-did-watson-think-toronto-is-a-u-s-city-on-jeopardy/

"According to IBM principle investigator on the Watson project David Ferrucci, the machine probably didn't realize that the city had to be in America. After all, even though we know that U.S. and America typically mean the same thing, it doesn't literally mean the same country. (For example, any number of Central and South American countries can be considered an "American" country.) Furthermore, there's a Toronto in Illinois - although it's too small to have an airport - and Toronto in Canada has an American League baseball team."

I think the programmer is looking for an excuse here , after all the category was U.S. cities, not "AMERICAN" cities. That and our airports are named after a PM and WWI hero , not WWII references.
 
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someone

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Jun 7, 2003
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mikec8inch said:
i'm not sure how watson screwed up final jeoperdy that bad , he was ripping it.
it was "US Cities" Q: it's largest airport is named after a WW1 hero, it's 2nd largest airport is named after a WW2 battle. he anwsered Toronto! not sure how he came up with that as best possibility. Toronto largest pearson is named after a former PM , second largest is Toronto Islands . and US Cities! wtf?
I ruled out new york & l.a. and got chicago right.
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Currently the Island airport is named after a Canadian WW1 herro so that is likely how it made the connection. Still wrong but I can sort of see where the mistake came from.

Also, although not a "hero", Pearson did serve in WW1. Atlhough the wrong war and not a battle, it was sort of a connection.
 
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Questor

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EJunkie said:
In the intro they mentioned that the clue is sent to Watson as a text file. They didn’t say (or I didn’t catch) when the file was sent.

If that file is sent as soon as the answer is flashed up; Watson has a clear advantage. The computer can process the data faster than a human can read, then start looking for answers sooner. Similarly, the timing as to when a contestant can push the button is visually picked up by the humans (I believe they have to wait until the lights surrounding the answer are either completely off or on), if was sent electronically to Watson (which it would have to); Watson would have an advantage.

Interesting to watch though.
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I was thinking the same thing. The machine has the advantage because it can process a text file much faster than a human can read. Hence, it is receiving the question first. All the same, its interesting that the machine can actually sort through all the data, calculate the probability so quickly, and mostly come up with the correct answer. That, and its ability to understand the subtleties of the English language.
 
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RandyAndy2

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Jul 12, 2003
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I noticed that Watson made another error that a human wouldn't make. I can't remember the question, but Jennings rang in first, and got it wrong. Watson rang in next, and guessed the exact same thing (and, of course, got it wrong). Often you see human contestants learn from other guesses to the same question, but Watson seemed incapable of doing that. Interesting.
 
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