What was it that AlphaZero did that dazzled experts? Wired magazine recently said


  Most remarkably, AlphaZero uncovered new approaches to the game that
  dazzled chess experts.


Just what was unique about alpha zero that was so dazzling?
I could find nothing that would support that statement beyond that it taught itself in a day. This is speculation, but I believe it explains that line in the article.

After researching the author, I found that he is a technology writer, who got a Bachelor of Science from the University of Kent, and later a degree in journalism from University of the Arts London. He currently writes for "Wired", and previously wrote for the MIT Technology Review. Despite that, I could not find a FIDE rating from when he lived in Europe, nor a USCF rating now that he lives in Cambridge Massachusetts.

I get the sense that it could be a "civilian", meaning a guy, who likes chess, but plays chess very casually, who is trying to write an article, and not really understanding the subject fully. It is akin to watching people on TV try to sound like they know about chess.

I think he was simply using his own words to regurgitate the amazement that we chess players all felt when we heard that AlphaZero taught itself in a day, and already could beat the best program, Stockfish.