artificial intelligence
/ˌɑːrtɪˈfɪʃəl ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒəns/
noun
Origin
Latin
artificialis + intelligentia — pertaining to art/skill + the power of understanding
Overview
Meaning Now
- A branch of computer science dealing with the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers.
- The capability of a machine to perform cognitive functions such as perceiving, reasoning, learning, and problem-solving.
Literal older meaning
intelligence created by artifice (human skill or craft)
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
Artificial Intelligence
Earliest period
1956
Journey
The term was popularized during the 1956 Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence. It was chosen by John McCarthy to differentiate the field from 'cybernetics' and 'automata theory', establishing it as a distinct scientific discipline.
Evolution
- 14th century (Latin root)
artificialis
“made by art”
Derived from 'artificium' (skill/craft).
- 15th century (Middle English)
intelligence
“faculty of understanding”
Borrowed from Old French 'intelligence'.
- 1956 (Modern English)
artificial intelligence
“computational simulation of human-like reasoning”
Coined as the formal term for the field of study.
Connections
Word parts
artificial
root
made by human skill
intelligence
root
faculty of understanding
Related across languages
French
intelligence artificielle
artificial intelligence
German
künstliche Intelligenz
artificial intelligence
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.