The first electronic computer was created in the early 1940s, and since then, the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has made great strides. In the early days, AI was mostly theoretical, with researchers trying to figure out how to get computers to do things that only humans could do, like reasoning and natural communication.

However, in the past few decades, AI has become more practical, with applications that are changing our world in a variety of ways. Here is a look at the evolution of AI and how we got to where we are today.

The early days: 1950s and 1960s

In the early days of AI, researchers were focused on getting computers to perform narrow tasks that only humans could do, like playing chess or identifying objects in pictures.

One of the most famous early successes was the creation of a program called ELIZA, which could mimic human conversation. ELIZA was designed to act like a therapist, and it was surprisingly successful at fooling people into thinking they were talking to a real person.

However, these early successes were limited, and it soon became clear that AI was not going to be able to replace humans anytime soon. Researchers began to explore new approaches, like using computers to learn from data, which would eventually lead to the development of machine learning.

The modern era: 1980s to present

In the 1980s, a new approach to AI began to emerge, one that focused on getting computers to learn from data. This was the beginning of what we now know as machine learning.

One of the early successes of machine learning was a program called COBRA, which was able to learn how to play the board game Go. COBRA's success showed that machine learning could be used to create programs that were better than humans at narrow tasks.

In the 1990s, machine learning began to be applied to a wider range of tasks, like facial recognition and speech recognition. These successes led to a renewed interest in AI, and the field has been growing ever since.

Today, AI is being used in a variety of ways, from self-driving cars to recommenders that suggest what you should buy on Amazon. It is clear that AI is here to stay, and it is only going to become more important in the years to come.