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Reactions and prize giving





After the end of the fifth and last game, the final outcome of the Google challenging match is: AlphaGo defeats Lee Sedol by 4 - 1. A result that only a small minority (< 10-15%) of the more than 280 million people worldwide who watched this match online, would have predicted in advance.









AlphaGo deeply impressed Go players from all over the world with rock-solid, balanced, profound, sometimes unexpected, new and really wonderful, brilliantly effective moves in these games.









During the post-match press conference Lee Sedol said: "I am sorry because the challenge matches have come to an end.

I also feel sorry because I wanted to gain a victory, but was unable to do so. In this match, I started out in the first half feeling that I had the upper hand. But, the fact that I still lost makes me think that it showed my inadequacies, yet again.... Yes, I think it was a match that once again exposed my inadequacies. Although there are many reasons to feel sorry on a personal level, I really want to give my deepest thanks to everyone who cheered for me and encouraged me. I will try harder to show an ever-improving Lee Sedol. Thank you".









And later on he added: "I like to say a few more words. It was regrettable but I enjoyed it. This is not a defeat of human beings, it clearly showed my weaknesses but not the weakness of humanity. Once again I would like to thank DeepMind for this wonderful opportunity".





Though Lee Sedol has lost this match,

he fought like a tiger, as best he could

under the enormous pressure and media attention

. And he stayed true to himself

in spite of everything

, accepted his mistakes and didn't lose his respect and humility.





Answering a question about whether the five games might have changed his understanding of the game of Go, Lee Sedol responded:

"Basically, I don't necessarily think that AlphaGo is superior to me. I believe there is still more that a human being can do to fight against the AI program. That's why I felt a little bit regrettable because there is more that a human could have shown during this match".

And to a question about his experience of play against AlphaGo as compared to his playing against professionals:

Obviously playing AlphaGo is different from playing human professionals and the style that it uses and also the ambiance, everything was completely different from what I was used to and in the beginning I was having difficulty getting used to that. If I had the opportunity to play AlphaGo again I'm not sure if I would be able to win and catch up to AlphaGo. What concerns Go skills, I don't think AlphaGo is superior but when it comes to psychological factors I think, yes, that AlphaGo is definitely superior. AlphaGo is not intimidated by strong wonderful moves".









Demis Hassabis summarized the match: "It has been an a

bsolutely mind-blowing and overwhelming week for our team. I thank Korea for welcoming us with so much passion, warmness, and enthusiasm for the game and for this match. I would like to express my i

mmense admiration for Lee Sedol's unbelievable fighting spirit and the creative genius he demonstrated throughout the whole match. How able he is to close up his abilities and his skills. We have seen incredible games of Go and there will be some moves that will be discussed for a long time: move 37 in game 3 and move 78 in game 4. And of course in today's game which was the most exciting game of all".





He continued: "

I hope and think that the popularity of Go has increased around the world, especially in the West because of this match. It has been on the front paper of all the western papers and news outlets as well as of course in Asia.

We have been told that more than 100 million people have been watching the match. The deepest and most profound game that mankind has ever devised which is Go

". And after expressing his pride and thanks to the DeepMind team: "Many thanks to Lee Sedol

for this greatest, once in a lifetime event of our lives".