An IBM AI Debates Humans--but It's Not Yet the Deep Blue of Oratory

In 2019 Harish Natarajan took part in a debate with a five-and-a-half-foot tall rectangular computer screen in front of a live audience of about 800 people. The computer was Project Debater, an artificial intelligence system designed by IBM. Natarajan is a globally recognized debate champion. And the topic at hand was whether or not preschool should be subsidized. Based on an audience vote, Project Debater lost the contest.