China-developed fast-learning AI equals human hold'em players

Chinese scientists have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) program that is quick-minded and on par with professional human players in heads-up no-limit Texas hold'em poker. Named AlphaHoldem, the AI program has achieved the level of sophisticated human players through a 10,000-hand two-player competition after three days of self-training, according to a paper which will be presented in February next year at AAAI 2022 global AI conference in Vancouver, Canada. Texas hold'em is a popular poker game in which players often deceive and bluff. It is more similar to real-world problems than Go or Weiqi and chess since decisions are made with imperfect information. The researchers from the Institute of Automation under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) reported that AlphaHoldem, a fast learner, used only about three to four milliseconds for each movement, about 1,000 times quicker than that of first-generation AI hold'em players DeepStack and Libratus.