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Imagining the thinking machine: Technological myths and the rise of artificial intelligence
This article discusses the role of technological myths in the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies from 1950s to the early 1970s. It shows how the rise of AI was accompanied by the construction of a powerful cultural myth: the creation of a thinking machine, which would be able t...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Default Article |
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2017
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/2134/25221 |
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| _version_ | 1818171184352591872 |
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| author | Simone Natale Andrea Ballatore |
| author_facet | Simone Natale Andrea Ballatore |
| author_sort | Simone Natale (1259505) |
| collection | Figshare |
| description | This article discusses the role of technological myths in the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies from 1950s to the early 1970s. It shows how the rise of AI was accompanied by the construction of a powerful cultural myth: the creation of a thinking machine, which would be able to perfectly simulate the cognitive faculties of the human mind. Based on a content analysis of articles on Artificial Intelligence published in two magazines, the Scientific American and the New Scientist, which were aimed at a broad readership of scientists, engineers, and technologists, three dominant patterns in the construction of the AI myth are identified: (1) the recurrence of analogies and discursive shifts, by which ideas and concepts from other fields were employed to describe the functioning of AI technologies; (2) a rhetorical use of the future, imagining that present shortcomings and limitations will shortly be overcome; (3) the relevance of controversies around the claims of AI, which we argue should be considered as an integral part of the discourse surrounding the AI myth. |
| format | Default Article |
| id | rr-article-9474830 |
| institution | Loughborough University |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| record_format | Figshare |
| spelling | rr-article-94748302017-06-20T00:00:00Z Imagining the thinking machine: Technological myths and the rise of artificial intelligence Simone Natale (1259505) Andrea Ballatore (3902689) Other human society not elsewhere classified Other language, communication and culture not elsewhere classified Artificial Intelligence Cybernetics History of computing Intelligent machines Media imaginary New media Scientific controversies Software studies Technological myth Language, Communication and Culture not elsewhere classified Studies in Human Society not elsewhere classified This article discusses the role of technological myths in the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies from 1950s to the early 1970s. It shows how the rise of AI was accompanied by the construction of a powerful cultural myth: the creation of a thinking machine, which would be able to perfectly simulate the cognitive faculties of the human mind. Based on a content analysis of articles on Artificial Intelligence published in two magazines, the Scientific American and the New Scientist, which were aimed at a broad readership of scientists, engineers, and technologists, three dominant patterns in the construction of the AI myth are identified: (1) the recurrence of analogies and discursive shifts, by which ideas and concepts from other fields were employed to describe the functioning of AI technologies; (2) a rhetorical use of the future, imagining that present shortcomings and limitations will shortly be overcome; (3) the relevance of controversies around the claims of AI, which we argue should be considered as an integral part of the discourse surrounding the AI myth. 2017-06-20T00:00:00Z Text Journal contribution 2134/25221 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Imagining_the_thinking_machine_Technological_myths_and_the_rise_of_artificial_intelligence/9474830 CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 |
| spellingShingle | Other human society not elsewhere classified Other language, communication and culture not elsewhere classified Artificial Intelligence Cybernetics History of computing Intelligent machines Media imaginary New media Scientific controversies Software studies Technological myth Language, Communication and Culture not elsewhere classified Studies in Human Society not elsewhere classified Simone Natale Andrea Ballatore Imagining the thinking machine: Technological myths and the rise of artificial intelligence |
| title | Imagining the thinking machine: Technological myths and the rise of artificial intelligence |
| title_full | Imagining the thinking machine: Technological myths and the rise of artificial intelligence |
| title_fullStr | Imagining the thinking machine: Technological myths and the rise of artificial intelligence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Imagining the thinking machine: Technological myths and the rise of artificial intelligence |
| title_short | Imagining the thinking machine: Technological myths and the rise of artificial intelligence |
| title_sort | imagining the thinking machine: technological myths and the rise of artificial intelligence |
| topic | Other human society not elsewhere classified Other language, communication and culture not elsewhere classified Artificial Intelligence Cybernetics History of computing Intelligent machines Media imaginary New media Scientific controversies Software studies Technological myth Language, Communication and Culture not elsewhere classified Studies in Human Society not elsewhere classified |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/2134/25221 |