To the Point
Watson Wins Jeopardy, but Is His Intelligence Artificial?
The IBM computer Watson wasn't perfect on Jeopardy this week, but it was good enough to defeat two champion human beings. What's new and different about Watson? Can artificial intelligence really cope with complex reality? Also, crackdowns continue on anti-government protesters in the Middle East. On Reporter's Notebook, the Governor of Wisconsin, public employees and President Obama.
By Warren Olney • • 51m ListenThe IBM computer Watson wasn't perfect on Jeopardy this week, but it was good enough to defeat two champion human beings. What's new and different about Watson? Can artificial intelligence really cope with complex reality? Also, crackdowns continue on anti-government protesters in the Middle East. On Reporter's Notebook, Wisconsin has become a national battleground between Republican governors and public employees, backed by President Obama. Will the battle spread to other states?
Banner image: Contestant Ken Jennings competes against "Watson" at a press conference to discuss the upcoming Man v. Machine Jeopardy! competition at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center on January 13, 2011 in Yorktown Heights, New York. Photo: Ben Hider/Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesEgypt Marks Week without Mubarak, Other Governments Crackdown
In the Middle East today crackdowns continued on anti-government protesters. In Egypt, where People Power deposed a president, another enormous crowd turned out for Friday prayers on Tahrir Square. The message was that the revolution is not over. Dan Murphy is in Cairo for the Christian Science Monitor .
Read the story8 minAre Computers Learning to Think?
In 1997, IBM's " Deep Blue " computer defeated chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov. This week, " Watso n" defeated two champion humans on Jeopardy . Because Watson answered some tricky questions, IBM says the machine has "the ability to understand natural human language."
Read the story36 minPublic Employee Unions Show Their Strength in Wisconsin
Republicans control the Wisconsin state Senate 19-to-14, but it takes 20 votes to act on fiscal matters. So Democratic state senators have crossed state lines to prevent a vote on Republican Governor Scott Walker's plan to strip public employees of collective bargaining rights.
Read the story7 min
