Questioning Artificial Intelligence About Chess

The pace of progress in artificial intelligence is incredibly fast. Unless you have direct exposure to groups like Deepmind, you have no idea how fast—it is growing at a pace close to exponential. - Elon Musk

Artificial intelligence (AI) has progressed significantly over time and has become an integral part of many industries and applications. In the past, AI was limited to simple tasks such as playing chess or solving mathematical problems, but today it has advanced to the point where it can perform more complex tasks such as language translation, image and speech recognition, and decision-making.

One example is ChatGPT, an AI language model designed to assist users with generating human-like text by using machine learning algorithms to analyze and understand large amounts of data. If ChatGPT can generate human-like responses, why not question it about chess?

QUESTION 1

Me: What is your name?

AI: My name is Assistant. I am a large language model trained by OpenAI to assist users with a variety of tasks, including answering questions, providing information, and generating human-like text. I am here to help you with any questions or information you may need. Please let me know if there is anything I can assist you with.

(I was only asking for your name not a paragraph about yourself )

QUESTION 2

Me: Would you ever play chess?

Assistant: As a large language model, I do not have the ability to physically play chess or participate in any other activities. However, I have been designed to assist users with a wide range of tasks and information, including answering questions about chess and providing analysis of chess positions and games. I have a vast database of knowledge about chess and am able to provide detailed and accurate information about the game and its various aspects. If you have any questions about chess or would like further information about the game, please don't hesitate to ask.

(Ok, there goes all my hopes of a new super-engine like AlphaZero. In the back of my mind, I thought it would respond: "I am currently calculating 1 billion moves per second, and I am on the verge of solving chess." I guess I will continue to ask Assistant about the game of chess.)

QUESTION 3

Me: Who is the greatest chess player ever?

Assistant: It is difficult to determine the best chess player of all time, as chess has been played for centuries and there have been many talented and successful players over the years. That being said, Bobby Fischer is widely considered one of the greatest chess players in history. Fischer, an American chess grandmaster, is known for his exceptional skill and impressive achievements, including winning the U.S. Chess Championship a record eight times, becoming the youngest grandmaster in history at the age of 15, and defeating the reigning world champion, Boris Spassky, in the 1972 World Chess Championship. Fischer's innovative and aggressive playing style, combined with his exceptional natural ability, made him one of the most formidable opponents in the history of the game.

(I am still undecided on this topic as I believe both Magnus Carlsen and Bobby Fischer are both heavy contenders for that title. Carlsen is seen to dominate most chess tournaments similar to Fischer in his prime. For example, Carlsen recently won BOTH the Rapid and the Blitz World Championship in the same week.)

QUESTION 4

Me: What is the greatest chess opening of all time?

Assistant: It is difficult to determine the "greatest" chess opening of all time, as different openings can be effective in different situations and against different opponents. In chess, the opening refers to the first few moves of the game, and it is an important stage in which players set up their positions and establish their plans for the rest of the game. Ultimately, the best chess opening for any given situation will depend on the preferences and style of the player, as well as the specific characteristics of the position and the opponent's opening choice.

(Assistant seems to be indecisive but I can see right through Assistant's scheme. It obviously does not want to make people mad by saying that the Caro Kann is the best .)

QUESTION 5

Me: Can chess speak for itself?

Assistant: In a sense, chess can be seen as a self-contained activity that does not require any external explanation or interpretation. The rules of chess are straightforward, and the objective of the game is clear: to capture the opponent's king or to put the opponent in a position where they cannot make any legal moves. As such, chess can be seen as a "language" of its own, in which the moves and positions on the board convey meaning and information to the players.

(I was looking for a different answer that was a little less philosophical...)

QUESTION 6

Me: Who do you think will be the next Magnus Carlsen?

Assistant: It is difficult to predict who will be the next chess player to achieve the level of success and recognition that Magnus Carlsen has achieved. Carlsen is currently considered one of the strongest chess players of all time and has won numerous international chess tournaments, including the World Chess Championship. There are many talented and promising chess players in the world today who have the potential to achieve great success in the game. Some of the current top-ranked players include Fabiano Caruana, Ding Liren, and Alireza Firouzja, all of whom have demonstrated impressive skills and have achieved impressive results in international tournaments. Ultimately, it is difficult to predict who will emerge as the next dominant force in chess, as there are many factors that can contribute to a player's success, including their skills, their dedication to the game, and their ability to adapt to new challenges. It is likely that the next Magnus Carlsen will be someone who is able to consistently perform at a high level and who has the drive and determination to continue improving and pushing the boundaries of the game.

(Ok, I'm starting to see a pattern here. The AI fails to create its own opinions and instead decides to dance around the topic. Aside from that though, personally I believe the next Magnus Carlsen will either be Nodirbek or Firouzja. Those two juniors have been progressing quickly and it will be interesting to see how they perform in 2023.)

QUESTION 7

Me: Should En Passant be banned?

Assistant: There is no consensus on whether the en passant rule should be banned in chess. Some players and chess organizations have proposed banning the en passant rule, arguing that it is confusing and can lead to unfair situations in the game. Others argue that the en passant rule is an important part of chess and adds an additional layer of strategy and complexity to the game. Ultimately, the decision to ban or retain the en passant rule would be up to the governing bodies of chess and the community of chess players. It is possible that the rule could be modified or changed in the future, but it is also possible that it will remain a part of the game. If you are interested in discussing the pros and cons of the en passant rule, it may be helpful to join a chess forum or participate in discussions with other chess players. This can provide an opportunity to learn more about different perspectives on the en passant rule and to engage in meaningful debate on the topic.

(Once again, Assistant stays impartial. Personally, I believe En Passant is here to stay. It just adds an extra layer of complexity to the game, as Assistant previously stated. Maybe it would be interesting to see a variant without En Passant. Besides that, a little off-topic, but the inclusion of discussing the ban on public forums was quite interesting and it certainly pertains to Chess.com. Chess.com forums are perfect for that sort of discussion and have been used for it as well.)

Final Thoughts

All in all, many observations can be made from this interview. The AI is really good at feeding information, but it can't seem to make up its own opinion. Perhaps sooner or later there will be robots debating on live television about politics (did anyone laugh at that)! Fun fact, I made the AI write just about all of the introduction. If you want to use ChatGPT yourself, click this link here. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this blog, and have a nice day!