How AI Solved Poker

Creative Next: AI Automation at Work

How did Libratus AI beat some of the top heads-up poker pros in the world? Libratus co-creator Noam Brown joins Dirk and Jon to talk about how Libratus taught itself and devised innovative strategies to conquer this popular game.

Computer and research scientist Noam Brown joins Dirk and Jon to provide the inside story on Libratus, a poker playing AI that he co-created which defeated four top human heads-up poker pros. We discover how Libratus taught itself to prepare, how it adjusted its play overnight, and continually made plays that, in the words of a top poker pro, “is thinking two moves ahead of any human.”

Memorable Quotes

"So the AI starts by knowing nothing about the game, it plays totally randomly, and it plays itself, it plays a copy of itself, in that game for trillions of iterations."

"It never looked at human data, and it came with a very different strategy compared to how humans play. When it started the match, the human said it was like playing an alien. It was like playing somebody who had learned to play poker on Mars."

"Then suddenly, the bot bets $20,000 into a $500 pot. The bot is basically saying, 'I'm either bluffing or I have the best hand'."

"In poker, it's very clear what actions you can take in any given situation. You win a certain amount of money at the end of the hand. But if you move to a negotiation for example, your actions are not as clearly defined. You can negotiate over all sorts of things."

Who You'll Hear

Dirk Knemeyer, Social Futurist and Producer of Creative Next (@dknemeyer)

Jonathan Follett, Writer, Electronic Musician, Emerging Tech Researcher and Producer of Creative Next (@jonfollett)

Noam Brown, Computer and Research Scientist (@polynoamial)

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GoInvo, A design practice dedicated to innovation in healthcare whose clients are as varied as AstraZeneca, 3M Health Information Services, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. www.goinvo.com

Design Museum Foundation, A new kind of museum, they believe design can change the world. They’re online, nomadic, and focused on making design accessible to everyone. Their mission: bring the transformative power of design everywhere. You can learn about their exhibitions, events, magazine, and more. www.designmuseumfoundation.org

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