Professor John McCarthy
Father of AI

Artificial Intelligence

What is AI?

What is AI? is intended to answer questions I get in email from people uninformed about AI. This is a first attempt at answering them on a layman's level or beginning student's level. Anyone who has a use for it is welcome to link to it or copy it. This material is designed for the layman answers basic questions about artificial intelligence. The opinions expressed here are not all consensus opinion among researchers in AI. (revised November 12, 2007)

A pdf version of some questions and answers is also available.