User blog comment:Gameshowguy2000/Are computers really smarter than humans?/@comment-4287134-20150408154745

To be honest with you, I don't think they are anywhere close to being as smart as people. I took a computer science course at the University of Illinois at Chicago three years ago (something I always wanted to do), and my professor told us that "computers are actually pretty dumb." Yes, they may seem smart, but you have to remember that humans made them and put in all this information into them.

My most likely reason why Watson knew so much is that the folks over at IBM knew just as much. One person may have known some things while another person knew others, and so on. Together all these people put their knowledge into one huge machine. With an excellent processor, I can imagine, Watson was able to buzz in very quickly.

As for the computer knowledge in video game adaptions of the show, I think it's all random, but the possibility of an AI buzzing in with a correct response is programmed to be more likely with a more difficult level chosen, like 40% chance with an AI buzzing in on Easy compared to 70% chance on Hard. It doesn't mean that the AI "knows" the answer and will "remember" it. It will mean that it will get however many questions correct out of 61 answers. I know that may have sounded awkward, but I'm sure you'll know what I mean.

So, that's my guess.