Computers are fast improving to think and talk more like humans. In the latest demonstration of artificial intelligence or AI, an IBM computer called Project Debater went up against humans in the first ever live, public debates. In two separate debates, the debating robot (an almost 2-metre-tall black box) scored 1-1 with the humans.
　According to the rules, participants had to prepare a four-minute opening statement, followed by a four-minute rebuttal and a twominute closing statement. The opening debate topic was "we should subsidize space exploration", followed by "we should increase the use of telemedicine."
　In both debates, the audience voted Project Debater to be worse at delivery but better in terms of the amount of information it conveyed. Despite several robotic slip-ups, the audience voted the AI to be more persuasive (in terms of changing the audience's position) than its human opponent.
　Noa Ovadia, a national debate champion in Israel, said she was impressed by its fluency in language and ability to construct sentences. She said the computer was able to "get to the bottom line of my arguments" and respond to them.

　電腦能力一日千里，從思考能力 到對話方式都越來越像人類。在最 新的人工智慧（AI）秀上，一臺名 為「辯士專案」的IBM 電腦首度在 實況轉播的公開辯論會上與人類舌 辯。兩場辯論後，最後「辯士專案 」（近2 公尺高的黑盒子）與人類 以1 比1 打成平手。
　根據比賽規則，正反雙方各做4 分鐘申辯，接著用4 分鐘反駁對方 的論點，最後2 分鐘做結辯。第一 場辯論的題目是「政府應資助太空 探索」；第二場題目是「我們應更 廣泛使用遠距醫療」。
　現場觀眾擔任評審，認為AI 在 兩場辯論的表達能力都遜於人類， 但傳達的訊息量較多，資料豐富。 儘管電腦出現一些失誤，但比人類 辯士更有說服力（因為觀眾聽後改 變了立場）。
　以色列國家辯論賽冠軍歐瓦迪 雅表示，她對電腦流暢的語言能力 及造句能力留下深刻印象。她說， IBM 機器人可以「抓到我論點的 核心」，然後做出反應。