First Ever Live Computer-Human Debate: Who Won?

 

Computers are increasingly competing against humans to see whether man or machine is smarter.

In the latest demonstration¹ of artificial intelligence or AI, a computer went up against humans in live, public debates.

The debates – held this week in San Francisco – provided a new example of how computers are fast improving to think and sound more like humans.

The event was a demonstration of an AI system developed by major technology company IBM. It is called Project Debater.

IBM said it was the first time ever that an AI system has competed in a live, public debate with humans. Two separate debates were held between a computer and two human debaters.

The company preselected possible subjects for discussion, but said neither the computer nor the humans knew the chosen subject before the debate.

The discussions were set up in a similar way to most political debates. After preparing arguments, both sides got the chance to present a four-minute opening statement. Then came four-minute rebuttals, followed by closing statements.

In one debate, IBM’s computer battled Noa Ovadia, a former national debate champion for Israel. The debate was based on the following statement: “We should subsidize space exploration.”

The AI system made a case in favor of government-subsidized space research. The computer was represented at the event as a tall and thin black box, with a small screen in front that changed designs when speaking and listening. It spoke² in a female voice.

"Thank you for the opportunity to speak today."

The AI system pulled in evidence from its huge supply of information from newspapers, journals and other sources.

Ovadia took the opposite position, arguing that the government could better serve the people by providing financial assistance for programs other than space exploration.

"You are speaking at the extremely fast rate of 218 words per minute. There is no need to hurry."

Project Debater then launched its rebuttal speech. It argued that government spending on space would be “a very sound investment” because it would be great for the economy, technology, and society as a whole.

The rebuttal ended with the machine stating that “subsidizing space exploration is like investing in really good tires.” The AI system explained its reasoning. While no one really wants to spend money on tires, people decide to do so in the end because it is the best and safest decision.

Following closing statements from both sides, reporters and other attendees gave their opinions on the results. IBM reported that a majority of those who watched the debate said they believed Project Debater had improved their knowledge of the subject more than the human debater.

On the other hand, the human debater got praise for better communicating her ideas. IBM’s vice³ president of AI research, Dario Gil, told the Associated Press this was not that surprising. He said humans are generally better at “using more expressive⁴ language, more original language.”

Ovadia said her AI opponent showed surprising language ability in constructing sentences. She added that the computer was not only able to “get to the bottom” of her arguments, but also able to intelligently answer them.

"Thank you for listening."

Among several outside experts invited to attend was Chris Reed⁵. He directs the Center for Argument Technology at the University of Dundee in Scotland. Reed said the computer effectively used a debating method that predicts an opponent’s argument and rebuts⁶ it before it is brought up.

The event included a second debate about whether technology should be used to help doctors treat patients living far away across the world.

An IBM research team based in Israel has been working on Project Debater for six years. It was launched after IBM’s Watson computer system beat two humans competing on the knowledge game show “Jeopardy” in 2011.

But IBM officials say Project Debater goes beyond its Watson technology to explore new AI territory. It is designed not only to process large amounts of data in an effort to outsmart an opponent. It can also help people create persuasive⁷ arguments and make well-informed decisions.

The company says Project Debater’s methods will eventually be offered in its IBM Cloud and IBM Watson businesses.

The debate came about a month after Google demonstrated how its AI system was able to make a haircut appointment in a very human-like way. Earlier in the year, AI- machines outperformed humans in a high-level reading test.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

artificial intelligence – n. ability of a machine to reproduce⁸ human behavior

rebuttal – n. statement that a claim or criticism is not true

subsidize – v. help pay for the costs for something

screen – n. flat surface on a computer on which pictures or words are shown

source – n. a person, book, etc., that gives information

original – adj. the first one made, not a copy

persuasive – adj. able to cause people to do or believe something

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 expressive   

adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的

参考例句：

• Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。
• He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的，富于表情的，生动活泼的脸。

5 reed   

n.芦苇，芦丛，簧舌，簧片

参考例句：

• The river banks were overgrown with reed.河岸长满了芦苇。
• They inhabit reed huts built on stilts above the water.他们住在建于水中木桩之上的芦苇草屋里。

6 rebuts   

v.反驳，驳回( rebut的第三人称单数 )；击退

参考例句：

7 persuasive   

adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的

参考例句：

• His arguments in favour of a new school are very persuasive.他赞成办一座新学校的理由很有说服力。
• The evidence was not really persuasive enough.证据并不是太有说服力。

8 reproduce   

v.生育，繁殖，复制，重做

参考例句：

• The machine can reproduce a key in two minutes.这机器能在两分钟内复制一把钥匙。
• The picture will reproduce well.这照片会印得很清楚。