The computer program AlphaGo of Google got the better of its human adversary, Lee Sedol, in the very first game of their anticipated five-game match.
Wednesday’s success by AlphaGo, the artificial intelligence software developed by Google DeepMind, over South Korean Go winner Lee is not insignificant as among the very creative and sophisticated games ever devised, the ancient Chinese board game, was not easy for computers to master.
The near-limitless variety of board positions in Go needs players to rely on instinct in making their moves. In handling complicated jobs AlphaGo was made to mimic that instinct.
AI specialists had forecast it would take another decade for computers this past year until AlphaGo defeat a European Go winner to overcome professional Go players.