Google's AI AlphaGo beats China's top Go master in best of three match

Google’s artificial intelligence program AlphaGo went head to head in a best of three match against the world’s number one player Ke Jie Google’s computer algorithm AlphaGo narrowly beat the world’s top-ranked player in the ancient Chinese board game of Go on Tuesday, reaffirming the arrival of what its developers tout as a ground-breaking new form of artificial intelligence. AlphaGo took the first of a scheduled three games against brash 19-year-old Chinese world number one Ke Jie, who after the match annointed the programme as the new “Go god”. This week’s match-up in the eastern Chinese city of Wuzhen, between Ke and an updated version of AlphaGo, has been highly anticipated amid speculation about whether AI could beat the world’s top player. AlphaGo’s feats have fuelled visions of a brave new world of AI that can not only drive cars and operate “smart homes”, but potentially help mankind figure out some of the most complex scientific, technical and medical problems.