The name they chose

The phrase appeared in the proposal written for the workshop in 1955:

"Artificial intelligence."

chose the name. The idea of a thinking machine was not new, and nearby fields already had names. One was cybernetics, which you met in the previous chapter through the example of a thermostat adjusting the heat.

McCarthy wanted a label for a research project focused directly on making machines perform tasks associated with intelligence. The name helped that project become a distinct field.

The phrase eventually spread into headlines, laws, job titles, and everyday arguments. But it began as a deliberate choice, and the ambition was visible inside it from the start.

The name they chose

The phrase appeared in the proposal written for the workshop in 1955:

"Artificial intelligence."

McCarthy wanted a label for a research project focused directly on making machines perform tasks associated with intelligence. The name helped that project become a distinct field.

The phrase eventually spread into headlines, laws, job titles, and everyday arguments. But it began as a deliberate choice, and the ambition was visible inside it from the start.