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New world computer chess champ crowned

From the article:

A new world computer chess champion was crowned at the 2004 finals in Israel on Monday. The new champ is the latest version of a particularly aggressive and human-like software program called Junior.

Also:

Programs such as Junior analyse far fewer moves per second – about three million - but streamline their work by quickly discounting certain search strategies. "We try to include as much 'chess knowledge' as possible," Freidel told New Scientist.

This allows current programs to perform more effectively on much more modest computer power. Running on a few desktop computers, programs like Junior and Shredder can compete with the world's leading human players. Kasparov was only able to draw with the older version of Junior in match played in 2003.

So we now have computer programs running on "a few desktop computers" that are able to hold their own against the best human players on the planet. Soon the software will run on a single desktop machine. Then it will be able to run as a small background task on a desktop machine. Then it will run on a cell phone. And so on.

The article also says this: "chess programs are widely considered too specialised to have much relevance to research into artificial intelligence." The author is completely missing the point. One way to achieve machine intelligence is through brute force. "Junior" is a brute force chess program. It is the best software available for machine chess, and it is better than human beings at chess.

Another group of robotic researchers will create the best software for walking. Another will create the best software for running. Another will create the best software for shooting baskets in a game of basketball. Another will create software for navigating complex urban environments (streets, buildings, stairs, etc.) on foot. Another will create the best software for driving a car or truck through a city. Another will create the best software for cleaning bathrooms. Another will create the best software for cooking a meal. Another will create the best software for repairing cars. And so on.

When you put all of those pieces of software in a single robot, what you will have is a robot that is better than a human being at walking, running, shooting baskets, navigating complex environments, driving a car or truck, cleaning bathrooms, cooking a meal, repairing cars and playing chess. If you want your robot to do more, you add modules. An "operating system" will help the robot to switch modes between its different areas of expertise. The "intelligence" comes in the robot's ability to do have programs for thousands of different tasks, and to do every one of those tasks better than the best humans.

See Robotic Nation for details.