IBM prepares for machine-vs.-man 'Jeopardy!' showdown

Watson has already won a practice round on the show against two top contestants, showing that artificial intelligence has come a long way in simulating how humans think. "We have created a computer system which has the ability to understand natural human language, which is a very difficult thing for a computer to do," said John Kelly, director of IBM Research. "In the field of artificial intelligence, people spend their lifetimes trying to advance that science inches. What Watson does and has demonstrated is the ability to advance the field of artificial intelligence by miles." Watson, who is named after legendary International Business Machines President Thomas Watson, is a showcase of the company's computing expertise and research in advanced science.