In a remarkable turn of events, Go grandmaster Shin Jin-seo has etched his name in history by becoming the first human to triumph over the AI platform KataGo. This milestone, reported by The Korea Economic Daily, took place on July 21 and serves as a beacon of hope for human ingenuity nearly three decades after the legendary Deep Blue’s victory over chess champion Garry Kasparov.
The Ancient Game of Go
Go, a game steeped in history, traces its origins back to China, predating chess by a staggering 1,400 years. In this strategic contest, players maneuver different-colored stones with the goal of encircling their opponent’s pieces, thereby capturing territory and stones to secure victory. The game’s complexity and widespread appeal have made it a fertile ground for machine learning research, much like chess.
Shin, at just 26 years old, achieved a historic feat by winning an official three-game series against KataGo, which is recognized as the leading artificial intelligence Go engine globally. His victory is particularly noteworthy given that only a decade ago, Go grandmaster Lee Sedol faced a crushing defeat at the hands of Google’s AlphaGo, highlighting the rapid advancements in AI technology since then.
In this series, Shin played with a two-stone handicap, a common practice in matches between humans and top-tier AIs. However, he expressed a desire to challenge AI opponents under more difficult conditions in future encounters. After initially losing the first match, Shin showcased his resilience by coming back to win the series 2-1 against KataGo. The final match, lasting three hours, was relatively brief compared to the typical length of professional Go games, which can extend to six hours or more.
Reflecting on the significance of his victory, Shin remarked, “I believe this series holds immense significance because it clearly demonstrated that humans can still hold their own against AI.” He shared insights from his experience, noting that his early strategy involved mimicking AI moves, which often led to challenging situations and losses. “This series taught me that rather than trying to imitate AI, it is far more important to build the board according to my own style,” he added, emphasizing the importance of personal strategy in the face of advanced technology.
