Historical Background to AI

  • Alan Turning writes 'On Computable Numbers'

    Alan Turning writes 'On Computable Numbers' in which he suggests a universal machine that can do any calculation.
  • Nobert Weiner writes the book 'Cybernetics'

    Nobert Weiner writes the book 'Cybernetics' that gives its name to a science; among other things he suggests that the way the brain is built may determine the way it works and constructing machines like brains may help us to understand the brain.
  • Turning suggests that machines might some day pssess intelligence

    Turning suggests that machines might some day pssess intelligence; he proposes the first test for possible machine intelligence (now called the 'Turning Test').
  • W. Grey Walter develops a 'tortoise' that moves under its own power until the batteries are low

    W. Grey Walter develops a 'tortoise' that moves under its own power until the batteries are low; it then seeks out and connects to the nearest power outlet and recharges itself (can this be described as hunger?)
  • John McCarthy of Dartmouth College (US) coins the term artificial intelligence

    John McCarthy of Dartmouth College (US) coins the term artificial intelligence
  • LISP (LISt Processing) the most commonly used AI language is introduced by McCarthy

    LISP (LISt Processing) the most commonly used AI language is introduced by McCarthy
  • Dr Norbert Weiner suggests that if computers could think like humans it would be "both effective, and dangerous"

    Dr Norbert Weiner suggests that if computers could think like humans it would be "both effective, and dangerous"
  • Samual beaten by his chackers playing program

    Samual beaten by his chackers playing program; others expirement into developing game playing theory.
  • Dr Frank Rosenblatt demonstrates that 'perceptrons' coupled to a simple neural network can be programmed by example to recognize patterns

    Dr Frank Rosenblatt demonstrates that 'perceptrons' coupled to a simple neural network can be programmed by example to recognize patterns
  • Dr Weizenbaum of MIT designs ELIZA

    Dr Weizenbaum of MIT designs ELIZA
  • Fuzzy logic introduced by Zadeh to explain some of the situations where a Yes/No answer will not suffice

    Fuzzy logic introduced by Zadeh to explain some of the situations where a Yes/No answer will not suffice
  • Work Begun on DENDRAL, the firsst expert system

    Work Begun on DENDRAL, the firsst expert system
  • 'Shakey', a radio linked, mobile robot with built in TV and range finder is developed to manipulate blocks using a program STRIPS taht could "plan" a series of actions

    'Shakey', a radio linked, mobile robot with built in TV and range finder is developed to manipulate blocks using a program STRIPS taht could "plan" a series of actions
  • Terry Winograd at MIT develops SHRUDLU

    Terry Winograd at MIT develops SHRUDLU, an NL interface to an imaginary 'block world' that was the first to demonstrate that a machine could have any real grasp of language.
  • The AI language PROLOG (programmed logic) developed

    The AI language PROLOG (programmed logic) developed
  • MYCIN, an expert system to diagnose bacterial infections is produced

    'MYCIN, an expert system to diagnose bacterial infections is produced
  • 'Hearsay', a speech understanding program is introduced

    'Hearsay', a speech understanding program is introduced
  • Work starts on 'Shear Magic', a sheep shearing robot (WA)

    Work starts on 'Shear Magic', a sheep shearing robot (WA)
  • BKG 9.8, a backgammon playing program defeats the (human) world champion

    BKG 9.8, a backgammon playing program defeats the (human) world champion
  • Developments in knowledge enginerring and inference systems helps respark interest in he potential AI

    Developments in knowledge enginerring and inference systems helps respark interest in he potential AI
  • Japan announces the $M400 Fifth Generation Project

    Japan announces the $M400 Fifth Generation Project to, over ten years, put a 'core' computer in every home and small business; this knowledge information processor (KIP) would work through a natural language interface; the overall aim was to establish a knowledge industry society. (As a side note: the Japanese Fifth Generation Project was one of the motivating factors behind the move to develop IPT as a subject in Queensland.)
  • Q&A, a natural language based PC database program is introduced

    Q&A, a natural language based PC database program is introduced
  • Developments with ANNs lead to significant advances into solving problems associated with pattern matching.

    Developments with ANNs lead to significant advances into solving problems associated with pattern matching.
  • US Military use AI based technology in weapons systems such as missiles and fighter jets

    US Military use AI based technology in weapons systems such as missiles and fighter jets
  • Voice and character recognition used in home computer

    Voice and character recognition used in home computer
  • ALICE, an open source NL AI chat robot, wins the Loebner Prize for the turning test

    ALICE, an open source NL AI chat robot, wins the Loebner Prize for the turning test