Where AI Is A Game Changer: Evidence from Chess Computers
Abstract
Current research suggests that AI either replaces or complements humans in task fulfillment. We propose that AI will have another implication: it allows decision-makers to train their skills in competitive interaction. We present evidence from chess computers, an early incarnation of AI. Chess computers quickly diffused in Western countries after 1977, but became widely available in the (former) Soviet Union only after the fall of the Iron Curtain. We find that chess players with access to sufficiently strong chess computers improved their competitive performance. An in-depth examination reveals that treated chess players deploy more diverse moves and roll out new strategies in high-stakes games. We discuss contributions to research on the role of AI in management and strategy and to research on search.
