History
Key Takeaways
- Philosophical Foundations: Descartes' "cogito, ergo sum" and Turing's question "Can machines think?" set the theoretical stage for AI.
- Turing Test: Introduced by Alan Turing, it became a critical benchmark for assessing AI's ability to mimic human intelligence.
- 1940s the. origin: Isaac Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics" in "Runaround" provided early ethical guidelines for AI.
- 1950s Growth: The term "Artificial Intelligence" was coined at a Dartmouth workshop, inspired by Turing's work.
- 1960s Applications: Development of ELIZA, a natural language processor, and IBM's Deep Blue, showcasing AI's capacity in games and data processing.
- 2014 Milestone: Eugene Goostman chatbot passed the Turing Test, demonstrating advanced AI communication abilities.
The Turing Test, once a theoretical benchmark for machine intelligence, now poses a real opportunity for advertisers: the ability of AI to craft campaigns with human-like resonance and creativity.
This historical journey highlights both the transformative potential and the complex challenges AI brings to the advertising landscape.
Timeline
1940s:
The dawn of AI
The dawn of AI
The 1940s saw Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, a concept that today goes beyond science fiction, influencing how we develop AI in advertising – ensuring ethical, non-deceptive practices. Fast forward to the modern era, and advertisers are leveraging AI's prowess, from data analysis to customer service bots, echoing Asimov's vision of harmonious human-machine coexistence.
The 1950s:
AI Gets ITS Name, Advertisers Get a Tool
AI Gets ITS Name, Advertisers Get a Tool
The term "Artificial intelligence" was coined in the 1950s, marking a pivotal moment for both the tech world and advertisers. The era's breakthroughs, especially Turing's AI conceptions, laid the groundwork for today’s targeted ads, predictive analytics, and consumer behaviour modelling.
AI’s LEap in the 1960’s:
From ELIZA to Deep Learning in Ads
The 1960s brought us ELIZA, an early nod to natural language processing, foreshadowing today's chatbots in customer service. But it's not just about communication; IBM's Deep Blue and Watson epitomized AI's strategic thinking, mirroring the analytical and predictive skills now crucial in ad targeting and market analysis.
Today's AI:
Creativity, Ethics, and the Future of Advertising
Creativity, Ethics, and the Future of Advertising
AI in advertising is no longer confined to back-end analytics. It's at the forefront, creating content, personalising customer experiences, and even predicting market trends. However, this comes with ethical considerations, from privacy concerns to the risk of diminishing human creativity.
As advertisers navigate this AI-driven landscape
the key is not just to adopt AI but to understand its nuances, capabilities, limitations, and ethical implications
By doing so, advertisers can harness AI's full potential while staying true
to the core values of creativity, authenticity, and human connection
- Aamoth, D., 2014. Interview with Eugene Goostman, the Fake Kid Who Passed the Turing Test. Time Magazine, 9 June 2014.
- Haugeland, J., 1989. Artificial intelligence: The very idea. MIT press.
- Haenlein, M., & Kaplan, A., 2019. A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence: On the Past, Present, and Future of Artificial Intelligence. California Management Review, 61(4), 5-14.
- Nilsson, N.J., 2009. The quest for artificial intelligence. Cambridge University Press.
- Stanford. (2007). What is AI? / Basic Questions. http://jmc.stanford.edu/artificial-intelligence/what-is-ai/index.html
- Solon, O., 2016. World’s largest hedge fund to replace managers with artificial intelligence. The Guardian, 22 December 2016.
- Tredinnick, L., 2017. Artificial intelligence and professional roles. Business Information Review, 34(1), 37-41.