AI and Robots: While often linked in popular culture, artificial intelligence and robots are distinct concepts without universally agreed definitions.
AI’s Inception: The term “artificial intelligence” was coined in 1956 at Dartmouth University’s summer conference, led by John McCarthy.
Aristotle’s Vision: Aristotle envisioned autonomous machines in his book “Politics,” suggesting they could replace human labour.
AI’s Ubiquity: Today, AI permeates various sectors, including banking, technology, marketing, entertainment, and engineering.
Philosophical Roots: Philosophers like Aristotle, Albertus Magnus, Thomas Hobbes, and René Descartes speculated about self-operating machines.
The Turing Test: Alan Turing’s 1950 paper introduced a test to evaluate AI’s ability to mimic human intelligence.
Da Vinci’s Robot: Around 1495, Leonardo da Vinci sketched a humanoid robot resembling a knight.
Origin of ‘Robot’: The term “robot” debuted in Karel Čapek’s play R.U.R., derived from the Czech word for labour.
Hobbes’ Materialism: Thomas Hobbes, known for his materialist philosophy, suggested the possibility of creating artificial life.
Vaucanson’s Duck: In 1738, Jacques de Vaucanson crafted a mechanical duck capable of mimicking several duck behaviours.
Binary Code: G.W. Leibniz proposed the binary system in the 17th century, which laid the foundation for computer programming.
Asimov’s Robots: Isaac Asimov’s science fiction works, like “I, Robot,” popularised robots.
Babbage’s Engine: Charles Babbage’s 1830s “analytical engine” concept laid the groundwork for computation, despite its impracticality at the time.
Leibniz’s Universal Language: Leibniz’s idea for a universal language contributed to the development of computer languages.
Offenbach’s Opera: The 1881 opera “Les Contes d’Hoffman” featured a robotic doll, reflecting early AI concepts.
Software Origins: The concept of software traces back to logicians like Leibniz, Boole, and Frege.
Deep Blue’s Victory: In 1997, IBM’s Deep Blue made history by defeating chess champion Garry Kasparov.
Brooks’ AI Approach: MIT’s Rodney Brooks shifted AI research towards modular systems in the early 1990s.
Albertus Magnus’ Automaton: Legend says Albertus Magnus created a speaking automaton, later destroyed by Thomas Aquinas.
Corporate AI Integration: Major corporations are increasingly incorporating AI into their operations, enhancing efficiency and competitive advantage.