Computers and chess masters: The role of AI in transforming elite human performance.

Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have made significant strides in recent years, often supplementing rather than replacing human performance. The extent of their assistance at the highest levels of human performance remains unclear. We analyse over 11.6 million decisions of elite chess player...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:British Journal of Psychology Vol. 117; no. 2; pp. 585 - 610
Autores principales: Bilalić, Merim, Graf, Mario, Vaci, Nemanja
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell May2026
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=192785885&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ssf
    uiTerm: 192785885
    longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson)
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        00071269
        BJP
      jtl: British Journal of Psychology
      issn: 00071269
      maglogo: Y
    pubinfo:
      dt: May2026
      vid: 117
      iid: 2
      pid: 480
      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
    artinfo:
      ui:
        192785885
        10.1111/bjop.12750
      ppf: 585
      ppct: 25
      formats:
        fmt:
          – @attributes:
              type: T
          – @attributes:
              type: C
          – @attributes:
              type: P
              size: 3.2MB
      tig:
        atl: Computers and chess masters: The role of AI in transforming elite human performance.
      aug:
        au:
          Bilalić, Merim
          Graf, Mario
          Vaci, Nemanja
        affil:
          Northumbria University at Newcastle, Newcastle, UK
          Alps Adria University, Klagenfurt, Austria
          University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
      su:
        Internet access
        Artificial intelligence
        Decision making
        Age distribution
        Games
        Cognition
        Probability theory
        Descriptive statistics
        Longitudinal method
        Deep learning
        Data analysis software
        Time
        Regression analysis
      sug:
        subj:
          Internet access
          Artificial intelligence
          Decision making
          Age distribution
          Games
          Cognition
          Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing
          Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores
          Toy and Hobby Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
          Probability theory
          Descriptive statistics
          Longitudinal method
          Deep learning
          Data analysis software
          Time
          Regression analysis
      keyword:
        AI
        Bayesian analysis
        generalized additive models (GAM)
        longitudinal study
        multiple change point (MCP)
        AI
        Bayesian analysis
        generalized additive models (GAM)
        longitudinal study
        multiple change point (MCP)
      ab: Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have made significant strides in recent years, often supplementing rather than replacing human performance. The extent of their assistance at the highest levels of human performance remains unclear. We analyse over 11.6 million decisions of elite chess players, a domain commonly used as a testbed for AI and psychology due to its complexity and objective assessment. We investigated the impact of two AI chess revolutions: the first in the late 1990s with the rise of powerful PCs and internet access and the second in the late 2010s with deep learning‐powered chess engines. The rate of human improvement mirrored AI advancements, but contrary to expectations, the quality of decisions mostly improved steadily over four decades, irrespective of age, with no distinct periods of rapid improvement. Only the youngest top players saw marked gains in the late 1990s, likely due to better access to knowledge and computers. Surprisingly, the recent wave of neural network‐powered engines has not significantly impacted the best players – at least, not yet. Our research highlights AI's potential to enhance human capability in complex tasks, given the right conditions, even among the most elite performers.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
    refInfo:
    copyright:
      @attributes:
        flag: N
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N