When thinking about the history of technology, the idea of artificial intelligence (AI) is illuminating. A long and winding road has led to the goal of programming computers to think and reason like humans. In this concise overview of AI's past, we can see how the field has evolved through a series of successes, failures, and pivotal moments.
A New Idea Emerges
Prior to the widespread use of computers and algorithms, the concepts of AI were already in the works. Many old stories and myths alluded to the idea of wanting to create creatures that could do things like humans. Ideas of intelligent machines didn't take off, though, until the middle of the twentieth century.
Theoretical Groundwork from the Beginning
Computer science trailblazers in the post-war period started developing the theoretical underpinnings of AI. Alan Turing's 1950 proposal of the Turing Test became a landmark idea, prompting discussions over whether or not it would be possible to build computers with intellect comparable to that of a human.
A Conference at Dartmouth and the Origins of AI
The dartmouth conference in 1956 was a watershed occasion since it was there that the phrase "artificial intelligence" was first used. Attendees at the meeting included futurists like John McCarthy and Marvin Minsky, who foresaw a world where computers could do jobs normally requiring human intellect.
