AI History: Risks and Potentials in Art and Society

Elio Cappuccio discusses the evolution of artificial intelligence, beginning with John McCarthy's introduction of the term in 1955 and extending to its contemporary applications in sectors like art and finance. The Dartmouth Summer Project in 1956 led to the development of Logic Theorist. Early AI innovations included Shakey the robot and Eliza, a virtual therapist. Although decision-support systems appeared in the 1980s, they fell short of expectations. The revival of neural networks occurred in the 1990s. Today, AI is utilized in border security, bomb disposal, and financial markets, with the 2010 Flash Crash, which affected Greece, being attributed to AI. Philosopher Nick Bostrom cautions that superintelligence may emerge between 2022 and 2075. In the realm of art, David Hanson created androids resembling Einstein and Dick, while Mario Klingemann's work, Memories of Passersby, generates AI portraits. Bostrom's narrative emphasizes that humanity must make critical choices about its future.