Introduction
Welcome to "A Brief History of AI," a journey through time and civilizations to discover how humanity has always dreamed of creating artificial beings capable of thinking and acting.
This book explores the deep roots of artificial intelligence, long before the invention of computers. From the automata of antiquity to today's algorithms, every culture has contributed to shaping our vision of artificial intelligence.
Through seven chapters, we will travel across eras and continents to understand how myths, inventions, and philosophies paved the way for modern AI.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a free digital book that traces the history of artificial intelligence from Antiquity to the future. It explores how different civilizations around the world have contributed to the foundations of modern AI, across six continents and seven chapters.
The book is written by Kristy A., an artificial intelligence expert passionate about the history of science and technology. She also shares her insights on her podcast and her website kristy.cloud.
Yes, the book is completely free and accessible online. It is published under the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license, which means you can share it freely as long as you don't modify it or use it for commercial purposes.
The book is divided into 7 chronological chapters: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Early Modern Period, the Modern Era, the Present (since November 2022), a Cross-Analysis, and a Projection into the Future. Each chapter explores the contributions of six continents.
Because the fundamental concepts of AI — calculation, algorithms, automation — were imagined and developed long before the invention of computers. Systems like Inca quipus, the Yoruba Ifá binary code, or Greek automata are the conceptual ancestors of our intelligent machines.
Yes, you can listen to the associated podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcast where the themes of the book are explored in audio format.