Bow before me, puny humans.

After dominating 74-game Jeopardy! winner Ken Jennings and all-time Jeopardy! money-winner Brad Rutter for two consecutive nights, IBM supercomputer Watson emerged victorious following Wednesday's overall total earnings, proving once and for all that (some) machines are indeed smarter than human beings. At least where playing Jeopardy! is concerned.

Watson's three-day earnings total of $77,147 outstripped Jennings' respectable $24,000 and Rutter's $21,600. Jennings had a strong night, compared to games earlier in the week, but it was still not enough for his flesh-and-blood brain to triumph over Watson's computer circuitry.

Watson's $1-million grand prize will be split evenly between the non-profit charities World Vision and the World Community Grid (www.WorldCommunityGrid.org), which provides spare computer power to impoverished communities in the developing world.

Jennings donated half his $300,000 earnings for second place to VillageReach, a Seattle-based organization which provides health-care and medical services to underserved communities throughout the emerging world.

Watson rolled to victory on the strength of its performance in such Jeopardy! categories as "Dialing for dialects," "One buck or less" and "Magical mouse-tery tour." Watson was not infallible, however, answering one clue incorrectly — ironically, in the category "Also on your computer keys." Watson answered the clue, "A loose-fitting dress hanging straight from the shoulders to below the waist," with, "What is a chemise?" The correct answer was "What is "shift?"

All three contestants answered correctly on the Final Jeopardy! question in the category "19th century novelists": "William Wilkinson's account of the principalities of Walachia and Moldavia inspired this author's most famous novel."

Following his written reply, "Who is Bram Stoker?" Jennings added, "I for one, welcome our new computer overlords."

IBM's man-vs.-machine challenge proved a hit in the ratings, too, vaulting Jeopardy! to its highest single-day audience total in four years, following Monday's show, and its highest total in six years, following Tuesday's show.

Host Alex Trebek said at the show's outset that he learned three things while hosting the Jeopardy! challenge.

"One, Watson knows a lot of stuff and can really dominate a match. Two, Watson is capable of some weird wagers. The third thing I learned is that Toronto is now a U.S. city." The third was a reference to an incorrect answer provided the previous evening.

Jeopardy! resumes its regular programming Thursday.

Watson proved a hit off-screen, as well, after an avatar of the computer was wheeled out Conan O'Brien's late-night talk show earlier in the week, supposedly to replace sidekick Andy Richter as the show's announcer.

Richter played along, playing the sourpuss as Watson clearly and graciously announced the names of the show's guests and complimented O'Brien on the manliness of his mien, and his wonderful monologue jokes. Richter needn't have worried, though: IBM has bigger fish to fry, and greater post-Jeopardy! things in mind for its $100 million super-brain.

IBM research vice-president Katherine Frase confirmed to CNN what Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek already hinted at earlier in the week: IBM has started to develop theoretical applications that could see Watson's brain applied to such real-world tasks as diagnostic medicine. Watson wasn't just designed to read puns, interpret human language and recall esoteric trivia in the blink-of-an-eye. There's more to Watson than trivia for trivia's sake.

IBM researchers have proposed a concept called Watson M.D., for example, a real-world program that would adapt the supercomputer's Q&A-minded brain as a diagnostic tool in a physician's office. The computer would combine online resources with a patient's medical history to come up with the most likely explanation for a medical ailment.

TV's Dr. Crankypants, Hugh Laurie's Gregory House M.D., could theoretically find himself out of a job — and so could Laurie.

At the very least, a guest appearance by a specially designed supercomputer with a diagnostic mind of its own, would make a terrific episode of House.

IBM's Frase told CNNMoney.com that the tech multinational and consulting firm is still in the exploratory phase of any post-Jeopardy! projects, but admitted that IBM has already begun "preliminary discussions" with some companies. Can a real-world version of Hal 9000 be far behind?

After Watson's Jeopardy! performance, hardly anyone would bet against it.

astrachan@postmedia.com