A.I.

An artificial intelligence program beats a champion in this nonfiction illustrated children’s book.

In March 2016 in Seoul, Lee Sedol of South Korea competed with AlphaGo, an AI program, in Go, a board game where players capture patterns on a grid using stones. Sedol, the “Go world champion,” was confident he would win, and the British DeepMind team, the creators of AlphaGo, wondered if the AI was ready to compete against such an adept human player. A diverse group of reporters and spectators packed the event. Everyone was shocked when AlphaGo (a DeepMind member moved the stones on the AI’s behalf) won the first two rounds. Sedol was stunned. Following AlphaGo’s third win, some people worried that AI “would soon be smarter than humans.” But Sedol “went big, trying to take a large territory, in an all-or-nothing play,” and beat the AI in the fourth round. Still, AlphaGo triumphed in the final round, proving that AI “could learn tasks and, at times, do them better than humans.” Although the surprising result left many people wary about the power of AI systems, “everything AlphaGo did was because humans had created and programmed it. AlphaGo beat Lee Sedol, but it also helped him to think in new, creative ways, to see the world differently.” The engaging story offers useful information and insights about technological advancements. Pattison emphasizes how computers and AI impact the world. The book also includes kid-friendly explanations of AI, showing how AlphaGo was trained to recognize patterns, and bios of Sedol and DeepMind. The work will especially be enjoyed by young readers interested in technology, programming, or gaming. Willis’ emotive illustrations provide charming elements like collaged details and patterned, textured backgrounds. Many show scenes of the intense competition, sometimes including speech bubbles.

An enthralling, contemporary tale of man versus machine.