History of Artificial Intelligence: From the Mathematics of Ancient Civilizations to Thinking Machines

This book provides an overview of AI’s historical development while understanding the cultural and scientific foundations that make today’s AI possible. Through easy-to-understand explanations of complex ideas and a focus on both technological advances and ethical considerations, it provides an understanding of AI’s past, present, and future.

History of Artificial Intelligence: From the Mathematics of Ancient Civilizations to Thinking Machines takes readers on a fascinating journey through the history of AI, showing how its origins can be traced back to ancient civilizations and their early advancements in mathematics, logic, and computation. It reveals the unexpected links between ancient calculation methods and the technologies that define modern life. By following AI's development, from the mathematical innovations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Iran to the revolutionary ideas of the European Renaissance and Enlightenment, readers will discover how human ingenuity over the centuries paved the way for the creation of intelligent machines. Each chapter takes readers step by step through major milestones, from the first mechanical calculators to the rise of modern computers and the development of TM. By exploring these key events and the contributions of diverse civilizations, the book offers fresh insights into AI’s global history and its complex relationship with human thought. In the final chapters, the book also addresses the ethical and societal challenges AI presents today, giving readers a well-rounded understanding of how AI is shaping our future and what that means for all of us.

This book is written for a broad audience, including both general readers and academic audiences who are interested in the history, development, and ethical implications of AI. It is particularly suited for students, researchers, and professionals in fields such as computer science, AI, mathematics, history of science and technology, and digital ethics.

Abbas Tcharkhtchi is Distinguished Professor at Arts et Métiers Institute of Technology (ENSAM), Paris, France. He was previously the head of the Polymers and Composites Group of PIMM laboratory, the Head of the Processing, Mechanics, and Materials Department, and member of the research council of ENSAM. He was also the scientific manager of doctoral training at the Paris campus, where he was responsible for overseeing 70 PhD students. Currently, he is the president of the scientific and technical commission of the AFR association. He has published over 220 papers and contributed to the publication of several books.

Hamid Reza Vanaei is Associate Professor at Ecole Supérieure d’Ingénieurs Léonard de Vinci (ESILV), De Vinci Higher Education (DVHE) in Paris, France. He obtained his MSc and PhD in Mechanics of Materials from Arts et Métiers Institute of Technology (ENSAM) in Paris and works as Associate Researcher at the same institute. With six years of experience in Material Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Advanced Manufacturing, his primary research focuses on a multidisciplinary approach to optimizing Advanced Manufacturing techniques.

Sofiane Khelladi is Full Professor at Arts et Métiers Institute of Technology (ENSAM) in Paris, France, where he leads the Fluid and Energy Systems Engineering Laboratory (LIFSE). He also serves as a member of the ENSAM Research Council. His research activities center around three main themes with strong interactions: advanced numerical methods for fluid and energy systems, multiphase flows and multiphysics coupling, and aero-hydrodynamics and acoustics of turbomachines. His work focuses on modeling and analyzing fluid flows for the design of complex fluid and energy systems.