From Myths to Machines: How AI Came to Life
- Angie Okhupe
- Jan 31
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 14
Artificial Intelligence (AI) might sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but here’s the thing: it’s been a work-in-progress for decades. From ancient myths to modern-day chatbots, the story of AI is full of twists, turns, and a few dramatic pauses.
So, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s take a walk down memory lane to uncover how AI went from a dream to a reality—and why it’s now everywhere, from your smartphone to your Netflix recommendations.
Part 1: The Ancient Dream of Thinking Machines
Before Silicon Valley became the tech hub of the world, and long before movies like WALLE-E (2008) or Her (2013) brought AI to the big screen, humans were already dreaming about artificial beings.
Take Talos, for example—a giant bronze warrior from Greek mythology who guarded the island of Crete. Then there are the golems of Jewish folklore—clay creatures brought to life by magic to protect their creators.
Jump ahead to the 18th century, and you’ll find mechanical wonders like the Mechanical Turk—a "robot" that played chess and dazzled audiences with its intelligence. But here’s the kicker: it wasn’t a robot at all! A hidden human chess master was inside, controlling every move. Think of it as one of history’s first viral hoaxes!
These stories and inventions show that humans have always been fascinated by the idea of creating life—or at least, the illusion of it.
Part 2: The Birth of Modern AI (1940s–1950s)
The real groundwork for AI began in the 20th century with the arrival of computers. In the 1940s, a brilliant British mathematician named Alan Turing posed a simple yet profound question: “Can machines think?” Turing didn't stop there; he went on to develop the Turing Test, a method to evaluate whether a machine could imitate human intelligence convincingly. (Spoiler alert: even today’s AI is still striving to fully pass this test!)
A major milestone followed in 1956 at the Dartmouth Conference, where the term "Artificial Intelligence" was officially introduced. At this historic gathering, a group of scientists came together to explore how machines could learn, solve problems, and exhibit behaviors similar to human intelligence.
This was the spark that lit the AI fire—but it was just the beginning.
Part 3: The Rollercoaster of AI Progress (1960s–1970s)
In the 1960s, researchers were super optimistic about AI. They believed machines could quickly solve all kinds of human tasks. Early AI programs could play basic games like checkers, solve math problems and translate simple languages. Some noteable milestones include:
1961: The Unimate, the first industrial robot, is installed on a General Motors assembly line, marking the beginning of robotics.
1965: Joseph Weizenbaum develops ELIZA, one of the first chatbots, which simulates conversation by using pattern matching.
1967: The Dendral program, developed at Stanford, becomes the first expert system, capable of identifying chemical compounds.
Sounds impressive, right? But there was a problem—early computers were too slow and weak to handle the big challenges researchers imagined.
Part 4: The AI Winter (1970s–1980s)
When progress stalled, funding for AI dried up in the 1970s. Researchers faced setbacks because machines couldn't keep up with human expectations. This period was called the AI Winter—everything in the field froze. It was a tough time for AI researchers, but good ideas don’t stay frozen forever!
Part 5: The Comeback of AI (1980s–1990s)
In 1980, The American Association of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) is founded to promote AI research. By the late1980s and '90s, researchers shifted their approach- instead of hard-coding every rule, they taught machines to learn from data.
Imagine teaching a child what a cat looks like by showing them a ton of cat pictures. After enough examples, they recognize a cat without needing instructions. AI works the same way—it learns patterns from millions of examples. This breakthrough, called machine learning, became a game-changer.
Part 6: The AI Boom (2000s–Today)
By the 2010s, AI made a huge comeback. Computers became super powerful, and there was data everywhere thanks to the internet. With the rise of the internet, we suddenly had tons of data to feed AI systems. This led to breakthroughs in machine learning, where computers learn from data instead of being explicitly programmed.
Today, AI powers everything from Netflix recommendations to voice assistants like Siri and Alexa. And let’s not forget ChatGPT, the AI that can write essays, crack jokes, and even help you plan your vacation.
Part 7: So, What’s Next?
Some experts believe AI will help solve huge problems—like curing diseases or fighting climate change. Others worry about what happens if AI becomes too advanced.
For now, though, AI is here to help. It powers the apps we use every day, from Netflix recommendations to chatbots . So, the next time you ask Siri for the weather or marvel at ChatGPT’s writing skills, remember: AI isn’t just a modern invention. It’s the result of centuries of human curiosity, creativity, and determination. You don’t need a degree in computer science to understand it—you just need a guide to explain the big ideas in small, simple words - that's why you are here today!
Next, we shall dive into: How Machine Learning Works: Explained Simply
Bonus: Fun Facts About AI History
The term "artificial intelligence" was first used in 1956 at a famous AI conference at Dartmouth College.
In 1997, an AI named Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov—a huge milestone.
ChatGPT can write a Shakespearean sonnet about your cat (or dog) in seconds. Try it—it’s weirdly impressive.
Very insightful! Who knew the term was coined way back in 1956. An AI doctor sounds cool and scary at the same time though! Thanks for the engaging read.