← Back to archive
AGIRecord · levy-1968

David Levy

International Master, chess

Why they matterWell-known chess master who publicly wagered against strong computer chess

Status
Closed
Prediction made
1968
Predicted arrival
1978
Interval
10 yrs

I am prepared to wager £1,250 that no computer program will beat me in a match within ten years.

Context

A rare falsified prediction in the sceptical direction. Included for symmetry: forecasts against near-term AI progress can also fail.

Why it is considered incorrect

Levy won the original 1978 wager, but subsequent bets he extended were lost as computer chess advanced far faster than he expected; by 1989 Deep Thought defeated him convincingly.

Source

The Levy Chess Bet Association for Computing Machinery