Debating, held in high regard since the time of the Ancient Greeks (and even before that), has a new participant. It’s not quite as eloquent and sharp as the likes of Socrates or Cicero, but it can hold its own against some debaters — hinting at a future where AI can understand and formulate complex arguments with ease. An autonomous debating system In 2019, an unusual debate was held in San Francisco. The topic of the debate was “We should subsidize preschool”, and it featured Harish Natarajan, a 2016 World Debating Championships Grand Finalist and 2012 European Debate Champion. His opponent was Project Debater, an autonomous debating system.