In 1997, a historic moment occurred in chess when Garry Kasparov competed against the Deep Blue AI for the first time. Two decades later, in 2017, DeepMind achieved a similar milestone by creating an AI that defeated the world champion in the Chinese game Go. Today, Chess.com, the leading chess platform worldwide, celebrates this transformative journey by hosting the AI Cup. This prestigious tournament showcases the significant impact of AI on the game of chess.

Scheduled from September 25th to 29th, the AI Cup serves as the thrilling final knockout stage of the esteemed$2 million Champions Chess Tour. Bringing together 56 of the world's top players, who have earned their spots through a Play-In event, the tournament will feature three divisions competing in the highly anticipated AI Cup knockout stage.

The AI Cup stands as a cornerstone of the 2023 Champions Chess Tour (CCT), hailed as the year's most significant online chess event. Comprising six events throughout the year, the CCT culminates in live, in-person finals. With a formidable lineup of the world's top chess players and a substantial prize fund of$2,000,000, the CCT represents Chess.com's most prestigious event to date.

In essence, the AI Cup provides an exceptional platform to celebrate the remarkable advancements of AI in the world of chess, underscoring its ongoing evolution and profound influence on the game in the digital age.

Why does it matter

These developments showcase the incredible progress AI has made over the years. From the iconic chess match in 1997 to the cutting-edge advancements in Go-playing AI, they highlight AI's potential to transcend human capabilities in complex tasks. This matters because it signifies the evolution of AI in the realm of games and its potential to tackle significant real-world challenges. Whether optimizing energy consumption or discovering revolutionary materials, AI's ability to learn and improve autonomously, as demonstrated by AlphaGo Zero, holds great promise for addressing some of humanity's most pressing issues. These advancements remind us that AI is a transformative force that can push the boundaries of what we thought was possible in leisure activities like chess and critical domains with far-reaching implications for our future.