How AI Superiority Changes Human Endeavor

Creative Next: AI Automation at Work

How has AI changed chess since Deep Blue beat Garry Kasparov in 1997? Cognitive scientist Christopher Chabris joins Dirk and Jon to talk about the evolution of chess in the machine era, and how it will inform future impacts of AI.

Cognitive scientist and professor Christopher Chabris joins Dirk and Jon to reflect on the 22 years of evolution in the game of Chess since Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in 1997. We explore these dynamics in some detail, using this history of how machine dominance impacted the game over decades to speculate about how AI primacy in future areas will impact all of us.

Memorable Quotes

"When computers get really good at an intellectual activity, it doesn't kill the activity. In fact it may make it even more interesting and more democratic for humans because it makes the availability of top quality performance more universal."

"At what point does the divergence between the human's ability and the computer's ability become so great that it becomes a mistake to insert the human into the system?"

"Now a computer move means a move that's like so good and yet so unusual that only a computer would see it and see how good it is."

"Computers are great at defense because they will examine every move and they will not be emotionally affected by the fact that they have a bad position and they're on the defense."

"Twenty years later, your proverbial phone has a better computer than IBM did for Deep Blue 20 years ago."

"Having one computer that could beat the world chess champion didn't really change very much. But having everyone with a computer that can beat the world champion has changed things quite a bit."

Discussed in this episode:

Alphazero

Leela Chess

Who You'll Hear

Dirk Knemeyer, Social Futurist and Producer of Creative Next (@dknemeyer)

Jonathan Follett, Writer, Electronic Musician, Emerging Tech Researcher and Producer of Creative Next (@jonfollett)

Christopher Chabris, Cognitive Scientist and Professor (@cfchabris)

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