Free exchange: Robocolleague

摘要

Watson, an IBM supercomputer, spectacularly beat its human rivals in a 2011 edition of "Jeopardy!", an American quiz show. It has got smarter since then. Its components have shrunk from room-size to briefcase-size; its processing speed has more than tripled. The sleeker, faster Watson is now being put to commercial use: its first application is suggesting treatments in cancer clinics. Many people fear that Watson exemplifies a trend toward the displacement of human workers by machines.