Parents' Guide to

AlphaGo

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Thought-provoking docu on relationship of AI to humans.

Movie NR 2017 90 minutes
AlphaGo Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

Richard M.
Richard M. Adult
January 24, 2018
age 10+
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

While chess has long been a forte of computers, the game of Go has long been viewed by computer experts (including those in ALPHAGO) as a daunting, seemingly impossible challenge. Go is an ancient game with worldwide popularity, and there are more possible configurations to the game than there are atoms in the universe. Enter DeepMind, a company of UK programmers determined to develop AI to the point that not only can an AI computer play Go, but it can also improve with experience and defeat Go's highest-ranked human champions. This leads to the DeepMind Challenge Match, in which the Google DeepMind AI competes against Go legend Lee Sedol in South Korea in a series of five games that attract international attention. While there's a triumph in AI playing and winning against Sedol, what also emerges is Sedol finding ways to win in a way that perhaps only a human could win, suggesting a potentially symbiotic relationship between humanity and artificial intelligence.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This documentary isn't for everyone, but for those fascinated by artificial intelligence and the future possibilities of the technology, there's plenty to discover and think about. AlphaGo manages to tell a story filled with the unexpected, with a sense of what's at stake for both Sedol and the DeepMind programmers, so that those who are unfamiliar with Go can still become absorbed in the action. Even with excitable color commentators detailing the moves and what they mean, actually watching Go from the outside isn't the most interesting visual experience, but AlphaGo makes it clear that what's happening is so much more than white-and-black stones placed on a square grid.

And even as DeepMind's AI victories are viewed as tremendous progress, and the viewer is happy for the DeepMind coders who made it happen, Sedol emerges as an underdog who you can't help but root for. HIs frustrations, his constant attempts to change strategy from game to game, his desire to win borne not out of statistics but out of the core of humanity itself that wants to find ways to win, reveals so much. What really emerges is something mutually beneficial in the relationship between man and machine that's suggested here. In other words: the idea that humanity will also evolve from these interactions with AI.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about documentaries. How does AlphaGo compare to other documentaries you've seen?

  • While watching Go from the outside might not be the most interesting thing to watch, how does the documentary create a sense of story, conflict, and excitement with the action swirling around the Go games?

  • How does this documentary convey popular conceptions of artificial intelligence and contrast this with the current realities and future potential that's a core of the movie's message?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate