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🤖 John McCarthy: AI Pioneer and LISP Creator

Paul Barlow

In this episode we outline the impactful life and work of John McCarthy, a foundational figure in Artificial Intelligence (AI). It highlights his pivotal role in coining the term "Artificial Intelligence" and organising the 1956 Dartmouth Conference, widely considered the birth of the field. The text further details his significant technical contributions, including the creation of the influential programming language LISP, pioneering time-sharing systems, and formalising commonsense reasoning in machines. It also acknowledges his academic leadership at institutions like Stanford, where he established the Stanford AI Lab (SAIL), and his numerous honours, such as the Turing Award, cementing his legacy as an architect of modern computing and AI.