The Quest for Artificial Intelligence
Cambridge University Press, 10/30/2009
EAN 9780521122931, ISBN10: 0521122937
Paperback, 580 pages, 23.4 x 15.5 x 2.8 cm
Language: English
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field within computer science that is attempting to build enhanced intelligence into computer systems. This book traces the history of the subject, from the early dreams of eighteenth-century (and earlier) pioneers to the more successful work of today's AI engineers. AI is becoming more and more a part of everyone's life. The technology is already embedded in face-recognizing cameras, speech-recognition software, Internet search engines, and health-care robots, among other applications. The book's many diagrams and easy-to-understand descriptions of AI programs will help the casual reader gain an understanding of how these and other AI systems actually work. Its thorough (but unobtrusive) end-of-chapter notes containing citations to important source materials will be of great use to AI scholars and researchers. This book promises to be the definitive history of a field that has captivated the imaginations of scientists, philosophers, and writers for centuries.
Part I. Beginnings
1. Dreams and dreamers
2. Clues
Part II. Early Explorations
1950s and 1960s
3. Gatherings
4. Pattern recognition
5. Early heuristic programs
6. Semantic representations
7. Natural language processing
8. 1960s infrastructure
Part III. Efflorescence
Mid-1960s to Mid-1970s
9. Computer vision
10. 'Hand-Eye' research
11. Knowledge representation and reasoning
12. Mobile robots
13. Progress in natural language processing
14. Game playing
15. The dendral project
16. Conferences, books, and funding
Part IV. Applications and Specializations
1970s to Early 1980s
17. Speech recognition and understanding systems
18. Consulting systems
19. Understanding queries and signals
20. Progress in computer vision
21. Boomtimes
Part V. 'New Generation' Projects
22. The Japanese create a stir
23. Darpa's strategic computing program
Part VI. Entr'acte
24. Speed bumps
25. Controversies and alternative paradigms
Part VII. The Growing Armamentarium
From the 1980s Onward
26. Reasoning and representation
27. Other approaches to reasoning and representation
28. Bayesian networks
29. Machine learning
30. Natural languages and natural scenes
31. Intelligent system architectures
Part VIII. Modern AI
Today and Tomorrow
32. Extraordinary achievements
33. Ubiquitous artificial intelligence
34. Smart tools
35. The quest continues.