Editing Dartmouth workshop (section)

== Background ==

In the early 1950s, there were various names for the field of "thinking machines": [[cybernetics]], [[automata theory]], and complex [[Data processing|information processing]].<ref>McCorduck, P., ''Machines Who Think'', A.K. Peters, Ltd, 2nd ed., 2004 {{ISBN?}} {{page?|date=July 2024}}</ref> The variety of names suggests the variety of conceptual orientations.

In 1955, [[John McCarthy (computer scientist)|John McCarthy]], then a young Assistant Professor of Mathematics at [[Dartmouth College]], decided to organize a group to clarify and develop ideas about thinking machines. He picked the name 'Artificial Intelligence' for the new field. He chose the name partly for its neutrality; avoiding a focus on narrow automata theory, and avoiding cybernetics which was heavily focused on analog feedback, as well as him potentially having to accept the assertive [[Norbert Wiener]] as guru or having to argue with him.<ref>{{cite book | last = Nilsson | first = Nils | author-link = Nils John Nilsson | title = The Quest for Artificial Intelligence | publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]] | date = 2009 | pages = 78 | isbn = 9780521116398}}</ref>

In early 1955, McCarthy approached the [[Rockefeller Foundation]] to request funding for a summer seminar at Dartmouth for about 10 participants. In June, he and [[Claude Shannon]], a founder of [[information theory]] then at [[Bell Labs]], met with Robert Morison, Director of Biological and Medical Research to discuss the idea and possible funding, though Morison was unsure whether money would be made available for such a visionary project.<ref>Kline, Ronald R., "Cybernetics, Automata Studies and the Dartmouth Conference on Artificial Intelligence", ''IEEE Annals of the History of Computing'', October–December, 2011, IEEE Computer Society, (citing letters, from Rockefeller Foundation Archives, Dartmouth file 6, 17, 1955 etc.</ref>

On September 2, 1955, the project was formally proposed by [[John McCarthy (computer scientist)|McCarthy]], [[Marvin Minsky]], [[Nathaniel Rochester (computer scientist)|Nathaniel Rochester]] and [[Claude Shannon]]. The proposal is credited with introducing the term 'artificial intelligence'.

The Proposal states:<ref>McCarthy, J., Minsky, M., Rochester, N., Shannon, C.E., "A Proposal for the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence"., http://raysolomonoff.com/dartmouth/boxa/dart564props.pdf August, 1955</ref>
{{cquote|We propose that a 2-month, 10-man study of artificial intelligence be carried out during the summer of 1956 at Dartmouth College in [[Hanover, New Hampshire]]. The study is to proceed on the basis of the conjecture that every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it. An attempt will be made to find how to make machines use language, form abstractions and concepts, solve kinds of problems now reserved for humans, and improve themselves. We think that a significant advance can be made in one or more of these problems if a carefully selected group of scientists work on it together for a summer.}}
The proposal goes on to discuss [[computers]], [[natural language processing]], [[Artificial neural network|neural networks]], [[theory of computation]], [[abstraction]] and [[creativity]] (these areas within the field of artificial intelligence are considered still relevant to the work of the field).<ref>{{Citation | last1 = McCarthy | first1 = John | last2 = Minsky | first2 = Marvin | last3 = Rochester | first3 = Nathan | last4 = Shannon | first4 = Claude | url = http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/history/dartmouth/dartmouth.html | title = A Proposal for the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence | year = 1955 | access-date = 2006-04-09 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070826230310/http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/history/dartmouth/dartmouth.html | archive-date = 2007-08-26 | url-status = dead }} retrieved 10:47 (UTC), 9th of April 2006</ref>

On May 26, 1956, McCarthy notified Robert Morison of the planned 11 attendees:

For the full period:
: 1) [[Marvin Minsky|Dr. Marvin Minsky]] 
: 2) [[Julian Bigelow|Dr. Julian Bigelow]]
: 3) [[Donald MacCrimmon MacKay|Professor D.M. Mackay]]
: 4) [[Ray Solomonoff|Mr. Ray Solomonoff]]
: 5) [[John Henry Holland|Mr. John Holland]]
: 6) [[John McCarthy (computer scientist)|Dr. John McCarthy]]

For four weeks:
: 7) [[Claude Shannon|Dr. Claude Shannon]]
: 8) [[Nathaniel Rochester (computer scientist)|Mr. Nathaniel Rochester]]
: 9) [[Oliver Selfridge|Mr. Oliver Selfridge]]

For the first two weeks:
: 10) [[Allen Newell|Dr. Allen Newell]]
: 11) [[Herbert A. Simon|Professor Herbert Simon]]

He noted, "we will concentrate on a problem of devising a way of [[Computer programming|programming]] a [[calculator]] to form concepts and to form generalizations. This of course is subject to change when the group gets together."<ref name="auto"/>

The actual participants came at different times, mostly for much shorter times. Trenchard More replaced Rochester for three weeks and MacKay and Holland did not attend—but the project was set to begin. 
 
Around June 18, 1956, the earliest participants (perhaps only Ray Solomonoff, maybe with Tom Etter) arrived at the Dartmouth campus in Hanover, N.H., to join John McCarthy who already had an apartment there. Solomonoff and Minsky stayed at Professors' apartments, but most would stay at the Hanover Inn.