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February 19, 1996
Web posted at: 8:40 a.m EST
From Correspondent Cynthia Tornquist
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- World chess champion Garry Kasparov won his final game over a super-computer, sealing a victory in a historic six-game match that pitted man against machine. Man won.
"From my standpoint, it is still vulnerable. The machine is not invincible," Kasparov declared after the Saturday win. (51K AIFF sound or 51K WAV sound)
But the match between silicon chips and brain cells has raised many questions. Is this just one more step toward a day when artificial intelligence is superior to human intelligence?
"Man versus machine, no way," said David Gelernter of Yale University. According to him, the main difference between the machine and the human mind is this: The human mind doesn't just do things aimlessly. It has goals.
Experts say it may be years before computers develop anything close to artificial intelligence.
"I say maybe five years, but maybe 500 years, because some new ideas have to be reached," said John McCarthy of Stanford University.
It was just 50 years ago that man developed the first computer -- ENIAC. Now smaller and more sophisticated, computers run the machines that are part of our daily lives, helping us get things done faster and better and helping humans reach new heights.
"Computers have changed ... the way you drive your car, watch weather reports, get new drugs at the pharmacy," Gelernter said.
But should we be concerned that computers may one day take over our lives? People are fascinated by the notion of our creations turning on us, as was demonstrated by the popularity of movies such as "Frankenstein" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" about a malevolent computer named Hal.
"You would not like to have a computer that had purposes of its own, or purposes that would shift while it was in operation," McCarthy said. "I think it could be done but shouldn't be. It wouldn't happen accidentally."
Just how should man feel about the his relationship with machines?
"We know a lot of machines can outdo us when it comes to force and power, " Gelernter said. "That's not what makes us human. What makes us human is dreaming up this idea to build this program in the first place."
Either way -- chalk one up for humankind.
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