Humankind has enjoyed chess for centuries, with its humble roots dating as far as 500 C.E. Because of the volume of people who play it, its rules and forms have changed across the years, too.
Today, chess is not merely played with a wooden board and carefully crafted pieces. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence, the rooks, bishops, pawns, knights, queens, and kings of the beloved game have found their way to the virtual screen and supercomputers.
The game’s name has changed forever, posing questions regarding the extent of the influence of AI on chess and what it means for human skill and play. In this article, we look at the impact of artificial intelligence on the chess world today.
Machines and Chess: Tracing the History
It may interest others that the overlap of chess and technology is not a recent move.
In 1770, people built the first chess-playing machine. Producers dressed it in Ottoman robes, with the ability to move the chess pieces mechanically. People later discovered this as a hoax (an actual human pulled the parts from inside the cabinet), but it was already a good glimpse of the future.
Two hundred years later, computer scientists saw the potential of chess for programming. Chess as a sport is ideal, with clearly defined rules and an innate complexity. Computer scientists thus became inspired to see what AI can do regarding how human beings think – and even compete against “chess computers.”
Human beings did not disappoint. One of the first world chess champions saw the potential of using AI to prepare for competitions and review opponents’ previous moves; the said player – Garry Kasparov – planned well with computers’ help and won against eight players simultaneously.
What’s it like today after the time of Kasparov? Chess players still leverage the power of artificial intelligence and education, with competitive players openly admitting that if one competes seriously, one needs to use an engine to build strategy, educate oneself about creative ideas, and prepare well.
AI and Chess: How They Work
Now that we have seen the evolution of AI and chess, one must recognize how it works and its roots to further understand the possible impact of AI on the future of chess.
Artificial intelligence employs techniques in supercomputers that help them calculate the ideal next move. With a framework we can refer to as the Tree Search problem, AI considers the current positions of chess pieces on the board. An algorithm dictates the next set of actions.
Another way to look at it is that AI and the game tree described above identify all possible movements that players can make. AI has an evaluation function, too, that determines precisely how good a move is.
Because of this Game Tree evaluation function, AI can review any board arrangement and assign correct, legal moves to decrease the opponent’s chances of winning.
AI in chess is not all too simple, though. The algorithm of game trees is complex, but over time, experts can now translate logic lines on most chess engines to create improved networks.
AI and Chess: Pros and Cons
The process we described above paved the way for more questions regarding AI and how it impacts human beings who continue to enjoy and play the game.
Perceived Disadvantages of AI in Chess
Some people now think of the possibility of professional chess being obsolete because supercomputers tend to be better chess players than humankind – or so they believe.
Some chess players have also shared their sentiment that there is minimal room for creativity now because AI seems to diminish the thrill of incalculability in the game. Other competitive players have an outcry against preparing against the computer.
Also, because computers can analyze, grandmasters can now just memorize the best opening moves for every chess position, removing the thrill of playing the game. Thus, some believe that AI has lessened the drama that comes from chess players’ being daring and creative now that computer chess can analyze both amateur and high-level moves.
Identified Advantages of AI in Chess
However, despite the perceived disadvantages we mentioned above, there are still many identified advantages of AI in Chess – and this is where the true impact lies.
For one, anyone who plays chess – neophyte or grandmaster – can still gain improvements in their creative abilities and their problem-solving, memory, and empathy, regardless of whether they play with AI or a fellow human being.
Another thing to consider is that despite the original intent of making computers beat human chess players, most chess AI’s design nowadays has evolved into an engaging and collaborative experience. In short, scientists now program this AI technology to “play like a human.”
Moreover, AI has revolutionized the way fans and players approach the game. They come prepared to tournaments and, contrary to popular belief that the games have become dull, they are not. The number of draws that we now see in major competitions shows how players have advanced – thanks to the analyses that AI and supercomputers provide.
Most importantly, lovers of chess might be able to appreciate the fact that chess and AI have brought the game to anyone who can access the Internet. High-level chess need not be consumed and enjoyed only at tournaments.
Another main advantage of “modern chess,” as they call it, is that anyone beginning to learn chess or those who also seek to understand it with the most profound levels of analysis can harness the power that AI brings.
AI and Chess: Moving Forward
As with any story, there are two sides to a coin. We are confident that the juxtaposition of chess and AI, while ‘flattening’ to some players, has increased the understanding and appreciation of the game.
Additionally, while it may be true that some now view the game as lackluster and predictable, one also cannot deny how emerging technologies nowadays also improve the way we challenge ourselves.
AI challenges humankind – chess players or not – to improve our skills should we decide to embrace that perspective. Perhaps it is time to balance and continue to study just how much the chess world can benefit – not suffer – from the influence of AI, but also, at the same time, continue to find deterrents to the disadvantages.
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