How IBM Plans To Win Jeopardy! 154
wjousts writes "Technology Review is reporting on IBM's plans to take on Trebek at his own game. The 'Watson' computer system uses natural-language processing techniques to break down questions into their structural components and then search its database for relevant answers. A televised matchup with Trebek is planned for next year. 'David Ferrucci, the IBM computer scientist leading the effort, explains that the system breaks a question into pieces, searches its own databases for "related knowledge," and then finally makes connections to assemble a result. Watson is not designed to search the Web, and IBM's end goal is a system that it can sell to its corporate customers who need to make large quantities of information more accessible.'"
Dealing with Layered Problems (Score:5, Funny)
As a fairly avid though novice crossword puzzler, my mind explodes with questions. Could Watson discern a four letter word for "Pleasant French city" (Nice)? Or what about a four letter word for "Beefy Laker" (Kobe)?
Lastly, will Watson have something inane and boring to talk about during the break?
Alex Trebek: Now, Watson, it says here that you are named after Thomas J. Watson who forbade his employees to drink and even frowned upon it while off the job?
Watson: That is correct. It is against IBM regulation 4-245 Section 8 to consume alcohol on the premises of any facility.
Alex Trebek: Fascinating, I'm sure you've never broken that strict regulation, ha ha.
Watson: Good sir, I am a computer, drinking is not within my capacity.
Alex Trebek: Um, right. So could you tell us something interesting about yourself?
Watson: *pauses to search records* During the fabrication of my circuitry, several engineers went months without sleep. Leading one to go insane and killed his wife and kid before taking his own life in a double homicide/suicide case.
Alex Trebek: How unfortunate. Well, I wish you the best of luck today in Jeopardy.
Watson: Thank you, my snide game show master.
Jesus (Score:2, Funny)
What was an extra-terrestrial?
Only if... (Score:5, Funny)
It can answer in Sean Connery's voice and make your mother jokes at him.
Otherwise I'll probably pass and look up old SNL skits on youtube instead.
How IBM Plans To Win Jeopardy! (Score:1, Funny)
They plan to answer "Kebert Xela" and send that bastard back to the dimension where he belongs.
Suck it Trebek! (Score:5, Funny)
I wonder how well it'll do at Anal bum cover.
I get it now... (Score:5, Funny)
sell to its corporate customers who need to make large quantities of information more accessible.'"
They want to replace the call centres in India with call computers.
"Hello you're speaking to Susan Blue Gene how can I help you?"
Jesus (Score:5, Funny)
What was an extra-terrestrial?
How tastelessly incorrect. Extra-terrestrials don't come back to life. Watson would cross reference The Bible with many recent movies and come up with the correct question we were looking for: "What was a zombie?"
Re:Suck it Trebek! (Score:5, Funny)
Clearly, some mod has never seen SNL.
(That's 'An Album Cover', Connery!)
Bad editors! (Score:5, Funny)
The summary clearly should have been titled "How does IBM plan to win Jeopardy?"
Re:Suck it Trebek! (Score:2, Funny)
or the other classics...
Connery - "I'll take the PEN IS mightier for 300..."
Trebek - "That's the Pen Is Mightier..."
Connery - "I'll take Famous Tities for 500"
Trebek - "That's Famous Titles..."
It's not so easy when you don't have the answers to look at is it Trebek?
Re:Only if... (Score:5, Funny)
So I think IBM's plans here are to
Use a high-tech set of
Computers to create a
Knowledge processor that can be monetized.
I think
That wanting
To use such a
Rediculously advanced
Engineering marvel to make Sean Connery jokes would
Be a waste of
Everone's time, energy, and
Karma
Re:Dealing with Layered Problems (Score:1, Funny)
I want to see how it responds to this question... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:I get it now... (Score:3, Funny)
Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)
Re:I get it now... (Score:3, Funny)
Ah, but how are they to be mimicking the bizarre structure of grammar I am having to become accustomed to?
Re:Only if... (Score:3, Funny)