The implications of Kasparov vs. Deep Blue

T his two-part Viewpoint offers some diverse perspectives on IBM Deep Blue’s recent win over world chess champion Garry Kasparov. Our goal is not to analyze the games or the technology but to consider the implications of the machine’s success for chess and computer science. That’s why we called on leaders from both spheres. International Chess Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan is a top U.S. contender for the world championship whose spirited commentary during the six-game match last May in New York illuminated the strategic thinking behind each move for a worldwide audience. ACM Turing Award winner Herb Simon and Toshinori Munakata focus on the AI lessons of the machine’s improving chess abilities. Despite IBM’s reluctance to publicly address Deep Blue’s “knowledge” skills, these authors expect some powerful applications to be borne of Blue. Here are their stories. The Implications of Kasparov Vs. Deep Blue