Father of AI

The full essays behind the field — seventy years of AI, from the 1956 Dartmouth conference to the models of today.

• John McCarthy John McCarthy (1927–2011): the scientist who coined 'artificial intelligence,' organized the 1956 Dartmouth conference, and created LISP.
• Evolution & Timeline A decade-by-decade history of AI: 1950s foundations, symbolic AI, expert systems, machine learning, deep learning, and modern LLMs.
• Benefits Where AI has produced measurable value: automation, medical imaging, large-scale data analysis, adaptive education, and scientific research.
• Harms and Risks Documented harms of AI: job displacement, dataset bias, lack of interpretability, surveillance misuse, deepfakes, and overdependence.
• Philosophy The philosophy of AI: symbolic versus data-driven intelligence, the limits of today's systems, and whether machines can truly understand.
• Conclusion What the record shows: AI has evolved over decades through incremental progress, and its genuine benefits and genuine risks must be weighed together.
• AI Topics glossary Plain-language explainers for 100+ of the most-searched AI terms — ChatGPT, LLMs, transformers, AGI, and more.
• Blog Dedicated blogs on AI tech, science, and the ideas behind the field.
• About this archive The purpose of the archive and the authentic sources it draws on.

Who is the father of AI?

John McCarthy (1927–2011) is widely regarded as the father of AI. He coined the term "artificial intelligence", organised the 1956 Dartmouth conference, and created LISP.

What is the Father of AI website about?

Father of AI (fatherofai.in) is a blog and archive on AI history, pioneers, and ideas — from Dartmouth 1956 to modern language models. Start with the Father of AI guide or browse the blog.

Who coined the term artificial intelligence?

John McCarthy coined it in 1955 in the Dartmouth proposal. Read the full story in the Dartmouth conference and John McCarthy biography.