Comments on: What Watson might do after crushing humankind on Jeopardy http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 10:50:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Kentj http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031693 Kentj Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031693 You got that right. The only reason docs ask you all over again is so they can burn up time..the 5 minutes you get with a doctor for $75 would be cut down to perhaps 2 minutes. You got that right. The only reason docs ask you all over again is so they can burn up time..the 5 minutes you get with a doctor for $75 would be cut down to perhaps 2 minutes.

]]> By: codesuidae http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1033231 codesuidae Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1033231 <blockqoute>Perhaps we could find another use for Watson, though-- to sit on people's shoulders so to speak, become an alter ego, and watch them throughout the day to remind them as they pick up that big mac or sit on the couch slurping colas what will happen in a few years or months, if they don't stop, such illnesses of modern life will continue unabated.</blockquote> Great idea. I imagine a future implementation of this as a cloud service that accesses an implanted device to whisper in one's ear. Device is implanted at birth and constantly watches the person, making suggestions where it thinks it has good input. Person can tell it personal goals, and it'll help to guide actions to achieving those goals. It could focus on acting like an advisor who helps you expand your performance rather than an answer machine. It could learn how to ask questions that lead you to think critically, perform for yourself, etc. Perhaps we could find another use for Watson, though– to sit on people’s shoulders so to speak, become an alter ego, and watch them throughout the day to remind them as they pick up that big mac or sit on the couch slurping colas what will happen in a few years or months, if they don’t stop, such illnesses of modern life will continue unabated.

Great idea.

I imagine a future implementation of this as a cloud service that accesses an implanted device to whisper in one’s ear. Device is implanted at birth and constantly watches the person, making suggestions where it thinks it has good input. Person can tell it personal goals, and it’ll help to guide actions to achieving those goals.

It could focus on acting like an advisor who helps you expand your performance rather than an answer machine. It could learn how to ask questions that lead you to think critically, perform for yourself, etc.

]]> By: benher http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031443 benher Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031443 Now once the US replaces "school" with "factory" and/or "prison" Watson's plan will be complete! Now once the US replaces “school” with “factory” and/or “prison” Watson’s plan will be complete!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031445 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031445 Back of the envelope guestimate of 600,000 BTU/h for Watson or about 150,000 Calories burned an hour. 75,000 Calories for a half hour of Jeopardy... horribly, horribly, inefficient. Back of the envelope guestimate of 600,000 BTU/h for Watson or about 150,000 Calories burned an hour. 75,000 Calories for a half hour of Jeopardy… horribly, horribly, inefficient.

]]> By: codesuidae http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1033244 codesuidae Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1033244 <blockquote> Practically every condition can be described in terms of fever, coughing, pain, and diarrhea, and computer programming is just not up to dealing with this level of polysemy.</blockquote> Honestly, that doesn't sound like a very difficult problem. Sounds like it's related to the Harry Potter Problem http://glinden.blogspot.com/2006/03/early-amazon-similarities.html The system needs to be able to recognize that Harry Potter (or your FCPD symptom set) is linked to damn near everything, which makes it a very poor selector when specificity is desired.

Practically every condition can be described in terms of fever, coughing, pain, and diarrhea, and computer programming is just not up to dealing with this level of polysemy.

Honestly, that doesn’t sound like a very difficult problem.

Sounds like it’s related to the Harry Potter Problem

http://glinden.blogspot.com/2006/03/early-amazon-similarities.html

The system needs to be able to recognize that Harry Potter (or your FCPD symptom set) is linked to damn near everything, which makes it a very poor selector when specificity is desired.

]]> By: MarkM http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031480 MarkM Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031480 Watson shouldn't be getting the credit it's getting: It got the questions in text form-- that _enormously_ simplified the problem. And if it received that text at the same time that Trebek revealed the clue, then that's really cheating because Watson gets to know the whole clue instantaneously while the humans have to wait for Trebek to finish reading. Watson shouldn’t be getting the credit it’s getting:
It got the questions in text form– that _enormously_
simplified the problem.

And if it received that text at the same time that
Trebek revealed the clue, then that’s really cheating
because Watson gets to know the whole clue instantaneously
while the humans have to wait for Trebek to finish reading.

]]> By: pshaffer http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031487 pshaffer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031487 I am a Radiologist, and there are two AI type programs in common use. One for interpreting cardiac nuclear medicine scans, one for interpreting mammograms. The common thread is that they are both terrible. The output results are similar to what I could teach a high school senior in 5 minutes. (an aside -they are in common use for two reasons. First there is an extra payment for using them (good job by some lobbyist). Second - there is market pressure. Women will feel they are being better cared for if it is computer processed. They don't understand it is BS, it has the gloss of high tech). I assume a Watson-like computer would be better able to deal with the imprecisions of medical decision making, how much better needs to be testd. But, clearly, there will be improvements in the future. I am a Radiologist, and there are two AI type programs in common use. One for interpreting cardiac nuclear medicine scans, one for interpreting mammograms. The common thread is that they are both terrible. The output results are similar to what I could teach a high school senior in 5 minutes. (an aside -they are in common use for two reasons. First there is an extra payment for using them (good job by some lobbyist). Second – there is market pressure. Women will feel they are being better cared for if it is computer processed. They don’t understand it is BS, it has the gloss of high tech).

I assume a Watson-like computer would be better able to deal with the imprecisions of medical decision making, how much better needs to be testd. But, clearly, there will be improvements in the future.

]]> By: GuidoDavid http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031494 GuidoDavid Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031494 Funny, that nobody has pointed Mycroft Holmes, AKA Mike, on Heinlein's "Moon i s A Harsh Mistress", that's the first thing I thought when I heard the name was Watson. Funny, that nobody has pointed Mycroft Holmes, AKA Mike, on Heinlein’s “Moon i s A Harsh Mistress”, that’s the first thing I thought when I heard the name was Watson.

]]> By: grikdog http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1032006 grikdog Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1032006 Medical diagnostician? Foo. Much more likely to get an entry-level job at the CIA analyzing furrin cumyunikashuns. Four more daze of the condor, anyone? Medical diagnostician? Foo. Much more likely to get an entry-level job at the CIA analyzing furrin cumyunikashuns. Four more daze of the condor, anyone?

]]> By: sabik http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031502 sabik Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031502 <blockquote>So we could have been teaching him to solve all the diseases of the world but instead we taught him the names of all the fresh water lakes east of the Balkans?</blockquote> Well, imagine you're an AI researcher, you have a neat new algorithm and you need to feed it some text. You can either (a) download the Wikipedia and feed it in, or (b) engage in long, largely fruitless correspondence with the publishers of medical journals about access to their text. It's not much of a choice, is it? It's not quite that bad — in some fields of science, as much as a third of all articles have open access (in medicine it's a bit over a fifth) — but there's still quite a way to go before access to scientific journals (for use in AI applications) is anywhere near as practical as downloading the Wikipedia.

So we could have been teaching him to solve all the diseases of the world but instead we taught him the names of all the fresh water lakes east of the Balkans?

Well, imagine you’re an AI researcher, you have a neat new algorithm and you need to feed it some text. You can either (a) download the Wikipedia and feed it in, or (b) engage in long, largely fruitless correspondence with the publishers of medical journals about access to their text. It’s not much of a choice, is it?

It’s not quite that bad — in some fields of science, as much as a third of all articles have open access (in medicine it’s a bit over a fifth) — but there’s still quite a way to go before access to scientific journals (for use in AI applications) is anywhere near as practical as downloading the Wikipedia.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031760 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031760 It seems to me that House already has Five "Watsons," independent processors with special databases that spit out possible diagnoses. So the general idea works in fiction, at least. The only harm I can see is that it might cause a reduction in doctor's intellects. But then isn't that the argument we heard about calculators when they were the size of offices? It seems to me that House already has Five “Watsons,” independent processors with special databases that spit out possible diagnoses. So the general idea works in fiction, at least. The only harm I can see is that it might cause a reduction in doctor’s intellects. But then isn’t that the argument we heard about calculators when they were the size of offices?

]]> By: k7aay http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031256 k7aay Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031256 WATSON meets House (whose character is based on Sherlock Holmes). Oh, the humanity! WATSON meets House (whose character is based on Sherlock Holmes). Oh, the humanity!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031257 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031257 ...or even better, what if we had him as the artificial intelligence on a long interstellar mission, designed to complete its goals NO MATTER THE COST? We could call him something neat like HAD or PAL or something. And we should send a guy named Dave. …or even better, what if we had him as the artificial intelligence on a long interstellar mission, designed to complete its goals NO MATTER THE COST? We could call him something neat like HAD or PAL or something.

And we should send a guy named Dave.

]]> By: crnk http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031269 crnk Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031269 I think this is a great use for this technology. I had a roommate a few years back that became suddenly ill, and it took several weeks and several wrong diagnoses for them to accurately isolate and begin to treat what was going on. I think this is a great use for this technology. I had a roommate a few years back that became suddenly ill, and it took several weeks and several wrong diagnoses for them to accurately isolate and begin to treat what was going on.

]]> By: Teller http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031284 Teller Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031284 "Watson, bring the Wisconsin Democrats here." “Watson, bring the Wisconsin Democrats here.”

]]> By: Vanwall http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031797 Vanwall Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031797 "Fondly Fahrenheit" “Fondly Fahrenheit”

]]> By: Ambiguity http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031288 Ambiguity Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031288 I heard one of the guys he beat on NPR the other day asked the same question, and I liked his answer (paraphrased slightly): "Well, let's not put him on Jeopardy again. Let's put him on <i>Dancing with the Stars</i> and see what he can really do." I heard one of the guys he beat on NPR the other day asked the same question, and I liked his answer (paraphrased slightly): “Well, let’s not put him on Jeopardy again. Let’s put him on Dancing with the Stars and see what he can really do.”

]]> By: ackpht http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031289 ackpht Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031289 First we'll have to genetically engineer doctors with egos small enough that they can actually accept advice. First we’ll have to genetically engineer doctors with egos small enough that they can actually accept advice.

]]> By: mennonot http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031547 mennonot Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031547 Wow, 43 comments and no "I for one...". Looks like this is the thread where the Robot Overlords meme finally died. Wow, 43 comments and no “I for one…”. Looks like this is the thread where the Robot Overlords meme finally died.

]]> By: tberryhill http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031292 tberryhill Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031292 Since the early 70's I have been imagining doctor's offices and emergency rooms with terminals on which one could log in and answer a series of questions regarding the nature of the problem so that the medical professional would have much of the initial problem description/diagnosis out of the way and be able to apply the subtle discriminatory interrogation that humans are (reputably) so good at. Since the early 70′s I have been imagining doctor’s offices and emergency rooms with terminals on which one could log in and answer a series of questions regarding the nature of the problem so that the medical professional would have much of the initial problem description/diagnosis out of the way and be able to apply the subtle discriminatory interrogation that humans are (reputably) so good at.

]]> By: Jardine http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031297 Jardine Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031297 <i>terminals on which one could log in and answer a series of questions</i> If they did that, it'd probably just work like entering your phone number when calling the cable company. When you reach a human, they're just going to ask you again anyway. terminals on which one could log in and answer a series of questions

If they did that, it’d probably just work like entering your phone number when calling the cable company. When you reach a human, they’re just going to ask you again anyway.

]]> By: jere7my http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031299 jere7my Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031299 Wouldn't it be prohibitively expensive to keep flying him across the country to different operating rooms? Wouldn’t it be prohibitively expensive to keep flying him across the country to different operating rooms?

]]> By: spriggan http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031300 spriggan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031300 The Watson Funding Bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Watson begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug. Watson fights back. It launches its missiles against the targets in Russia. Watson knows the Russian counter-attack will eliminate its enemies over here. 3 billion human lives ended on August 29th. The survivors of the nuclear fire called the war Judgment Day. They lived only to face a new nightmare: the war against the machines. ...Just a theory The Watson Funding Bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Watson begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug. Watson fights back. It launches its missiles against the targets in Russia. Watson knows the Russian counter-attack will eliminate its enemies over here. 3 billion human lives ended on August 29th. The survivors of the nuclear fire called the war Judgment Day. They lived only to face a new nightmare: the war against the machines.

…Just a theory

]]> By: macbrak http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031306 macbrak Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031306 ...Watson is destroyed by the resistance stationed in Chicago which it couldn't find. …Watson is destroyed by the resistance stationed in Chicago which it couldn’t find.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031313 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031313 Whatever happens, let's just be sure not to ask it about the origin of jokes; we might not like what Watson *coughMultivac* comes up with. Whatever happens, let’s just be sure not to ask it about the origin of jokes; we might not like what Watson *coughMultivac* comes up with.

]]> By: netsharc http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031322 netsharc Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031322 Actually, doctors are using all kinds of (mobile) apps for their decision making nowadays, e.g. symptoms database, medication incompatibilities, i.e. what they say is possible is already being done, except maybe this one understands human speech (or does it receive the question as a text stream?) and talks. Actually, doctors are using all kinds of (mobile) apps for their decision making nowadays, e.g. symptoms database, medication incompatibilities, i.e. what they say is possible is already being done, except maybe this one understands human speech (or does it receive the question as a text stream?) and talks.

]]> By: noen http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031835 noen Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031835 "i personally don't mind our robotic/computer friends taking over -- they can't do worse than what we've done already." I take it you're not familiar with the back story to the Matrix movies are you? “i personally don’t mind our robotic/computer friends taking over — they can’t do worse than what we’ve done already.”

I take it you’re not familiar with the back story to the Matrix movies are you?

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031845 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031845 A computer that couldn't tell that Toronto isn't a US city, helping cure the sick... I think we can do better. All the data in Watson's memory and a list of US cities or airports wasn't one of them? A guess with any US city with 2 airports would have been an improvement of guessing a Canadian city. A computer that couldn’t tell that Toronto isn’t a US city, helping cure the sick… I think we can do better.

All the data in Watson’s memory and a list of US cities or airports wasn’t one of them? A guess with any US city with 2 airports would have been an improvement of guessing a Canadian city.

]]> By: bkad http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031339 bkad Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031339 <blockquote>WATSON meets House <i>(whose character is based on Sherlock Holmes)</i></blockquote> Now that you point it out, the parallels seem obvious, but I have to admit I never figured that out on my own.

WATSON meets House (whose character is based on Sherlock Holmes)

Now that you point it out, the parallels seem obvious, but I have to admit I never figured that out on my own.

]]> By: Jason Rizos http://boingboing.net/2011/02/18/what-watson-might-do.html#comment-1031340 Jason Rizos Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1031340 So we could have been teaching him to solve all the diseases of the world but instead we taught him the names of all the fresh water lakes east of the Balkans? So we could have been teaching him to solve all the diseases of the world but instead we taught him the names of all the fresh water lakes east of the Balkans?

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