The widely-discussed, hotly-debated, and much-anticipated heads-up poker match between human brains and artificial intelligence was featured recently on PBS NewsHour, one of the more prestigious mainstream media outlets doing in-depth journalism.
The 8-minute news report focused not only on the two-week-long series of No-Limit Hold’em matches played via computers which took place at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh in early May, but it also includes interviews with the principles, and touches upon larger implications of what’s ahead for artificial intelligence, not just as it pertains to poker, but far more ponderous ramifications in the job market, high finance, medicine, transportation systems, predictive modeling, and other fields where computers and machines could very well outperform, and therefore ultimately replace, real people.
Much of the footage used in the PBS broadcast was shot by camera crews from “Poker Night in America,” which will soon be putting together its own special feature on the events that unfolded in Pittsburgh. When that project becomes complete, I’ll be posting more as I know more.
In the meantime, here’s the feature on PBS NewsHour, which is well worth watching:
Note: Special thanks to Tony Mangnall and his crew.
