The Evolution of AI: Historical Perspective

Artificial intelligence has a rich history that dates back to the 1940s, contrary to the common perception that it is a recent development. Notable figures such as Alan Turing, Claude Shannon, and Marvin Minsky contributed to the early discussions and developments in AI. Over the decades, the field shifted from operational research, where experts worked privately with statistical approaches, to a more mainstream focus on data science. The landscape has dramatically evolved with the advent of generative AI and large language models, marking a significant transformation since the initial experimentation with neural networks.