Garry Kasparov

Garry Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, political activist, and writer known for his impact on the world of chess, artificial intelligence, and human rights. Kasparov served as World Chess Champion from 1985 to 2000, becoming the youngest undisputed world champion at age 22 by defeating Anatoly Karpov. He was ranked the world's No. 1 player for a record 255 months and holds records for the most consecutive professional tournament victories and Chess Oscars. Kasparov was the first player to break the 2800 rating barrier and achieved the highest rating in chess history.

Kasparov's matches against the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue brought him to the forefront of discussions on artificial intelligence and human-machine collaboration. After his match against Deep Blue, Kasparov explored the integration of technology and chess, notably participating in "Advanced Chess," where humans and computers worked together. This experience led to the development of "Kasparov's Law," which posits that a human working in harmony with an AI system can outperform either working alone.

As an author, Kasparov has written extensively on chess, technology, and geopolitics. His works include the "My Great Predecessors" series, "How Life Imitates Chess," "Winter Is Coming," and "Deep Thinking: Where Machine Intelligence Ends and Human Creativity Begins." These books address topics such as the evolution of chess, the intersection of artificial intelligence and creativity, and global political challenges.

After retiring from professional chess, Kasparov became active in Russian pro-democracy movements and later chaired the Human Rights Foundation, which organizes the Oslo Freedom Forum. He founded the Renew Democracy Initiative, focusing on promoting democratic principles through education and advocacy. Kasparov has addressed international forums on topics including Russia, Ukraine, NATO, and the responsibilities of democracies.

Kasparov is a contributing editor to The Wall Street Journal and frequently speaks to business and political audiences on technology, strategy, politics, and mental performance. He is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Oxford-Martin School, specializing in human-machine collaboration. The Kasparov Chess Foundation, based in the United States, promotes chess education globally, with programs in schools across the United States and centers in Brussels, Johannesburg, Singapore, and Mexico City. Kasparov continues to address issues related to artificial intelligence, strategic decision-making, and the defense of democratic values.