The Rise of AI: What we can learn from chess

There are a lot of unknowns with the rise of artificial intelligence, but chess is an existing domain where AI dominance is a few years ahead of were we are today and from it we can learn what to expect in the coming years.

There was fear that when AI would play chess better than humans, it would mean the end of chess as a human sport, but the opposite has happened. Chess has become even more popular, and training and learning from chess engines has propelled an improvement in human play.

There is an intangible beauty in human imperfection, the swashbuckling tactic played by a human player may not be algorithmically correct, but in it there is perhaps more beauty, than a combination derived from an computer chess engine. While there is much to be concerned about, the upcoming interaction between human and machine will lead to exiting and creative times.

Gaining an advantage

Early adaptors of AI, will be able to gain a competitive advantage against those that shun AI. Artificial intelligence is a great levelling tool for those in the middle of the bell curve. Top creatives in art, writing, and programming will be negatively impacted as AI can cause the mediocre to rise and become competitive with the most talented.

Revolutionizing the way we learn and improve based on chess:

• Chess players review games with chess engines. By reviewing past decision and providing feedback, AI can serve as an insightful mentor.

• It can help us ask critical 'what if' questions, promoting analytical thinking.

• It can also aid in building upon an idea, such as developing a chess opening.

What we don't know

Even at this early stage, there is much we don’t know. Things are muddy even when trying to forecast the current and near current state of of Large Language Models (LLMs) at the level of ChatGPT 4 . The implications of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) would be impactful and impossible to forecast.

While AI's triumph in chess offers significant insights, it also raises many questions. The absence of an economic facet in chess compared to business contexts is one key difference to consider.

Some unknowns include:

• The emergence of new careers and occupations.

• The rise of mediocrity as a potential consequence of AI.

• Identifying the group likely to suffer adverse effects due to AI in the near future, known as the AI dispossessed.

• What the top 1% need to do to maintain their competitive advantage. Fighting back against LLM training using their content and art styles is one example.

• The ethical use of the technology, one negative in chess has been the rise of cheating by using chess engines to play online chess.

Balancing the promises and challenges of AI

Overall, the rise of AI in chess offers a microcosm for understanding potential AI developments in other domains. It highlights both the promises and challenges that AI presents, and underscores the need for thoughtful, ethical, and inclusive AI governance. While there may be negative impacts, it is important that you are able to reap any advantages that this new technology will offer you, since this will be the differentiating factor that will propel and keep you relevant in the years to come.

Specific foreseeable impacts include:

• Top 1% of creatives will feel an impact as they will have more competition from the rest of us that are utilizing AI to artificially upskill.

• A new way to learn and grow. The educational system needs to adapt and incorporate AI into the curriculum and teaching practices.

• The value of imperfection: craftsmen will be valued and their products will appreciate in value.

• Short-term employment impact when corporations replace human employees with AI. However, current limitations in AI could render some of these changes temporary, with human employees being reinstated when AI proves less cost-effective. This will also be offset by the creation of new careers and an expansion of machine learning related jobs.

Ultimately, humans will find novel and interesting ways to adapt, creating something new and beautiful that we cannot foresee.