ROSS AND BURBANK

Man versus computer day 2

Feb 16, 2011, 8:37 AM | Updated: Mar 28, 2011, 3:48 pm

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Dave Ross Commentary – Listen: Man versus computer day 2

Day 2 of the Man versus computer Jeopardy face off — and IBMs Watson was nailing the medical questions.

And by a weird coincidence it’s medical prowess fit perfectly with IBM’s Watson infomercial:

“In seconds doctors everywhere in the world are going to be able to find out what are the best treatments and how do I assure best outcomes?”

But Watson also demonstrated once again that it was all too… non-human:

“Final Jeopardy category is US cities,” said Alex Trebek.

So the correct question must refer to a city in the US:

“It’s largest airport is named for a WWII hero, it’s second largest for a WWII battle.”

Ken and Brad had no trouble:

“You wrote down ‘What is Chicago,’ that is correct,” said Trebek.

Chicago Midway and Chicago O’Hare airport: how many times while running for a flight have we passed the display of Butch O’Hare’s World War Two fighter plane. But the computer has never been to O Hare:

“Now to our leader Whatson,” said Trebek. ‘What is Toronto.’

Toronto? What was the category again? US cities

Watson easily won the game… but I’m not sure its quite ready for the doctor’s office.

Although since Watson knows it’s destined to revolutionize health care, maybe it was just preparing for its inevitable exile to Canada…

[NOTE: Watson’s been programmed with the contents of Wikipedia, and you can find a link between Toronto’s Pearson airport — named after a Canadian prime minister — and Pearson Airport in Vancouver, WA, which IS named for a military figure. Here is the entry:

‘Toronto Pearson International Airport, also known as Lester B. Pearson International Airport in honour of Lester B. Pearson, the 14th Prime Minister of Canada and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

“Pearson Airport” redirects here. For the oldest operating airfield in the US, in Clark County, Washington, see Pearson Field.

Pearson Field’s history dates back to the early 1900s and is named for local resident First Lieutenant Alexander Pearson Jr. of the United States Army.’]

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Man versus computer day 2