AI may feel like the tech of tomorrow, but it’s been making history for centuries. From ancient myths to modern test-taking, artificial intelligence has been achieving “firsts” that wow teachers, students, and trivia buffs alike. Based on a ThinkFives teacher survey (and a little help from the internet), here are the most unforgettable AI milestones to date.
First AI in Mythology: Talos the Bronze Giant
Long before chatbots and neural networks, the ancient Greeks imagined their own kind of AI. Meet Talos, a massive bronze automaton built by Hephaestus, the god of fire and metalworking. Talos circled the island of Crete three times a day, hurling rocks at invaders. That’s right—ancient AI was less “assistant” and more “security system with an attitude.”
First Mobile Robot with AI: Shakey the Robot
Built in the late 1960s by Stanford Research Institute, Shakey wasn’t just any robot—he could perceive his environment, make decisions, and move around on his own. Dubbed the world’s first general-purpose mobile robot, Shakey could plan tasks and adapt on the fly. Basically, he walked (well, rolled) so today’s Roombas and delivery bots could run.
First AI Chatbot: ELIZA Starts the Conversation
Created in 1966 by MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum, ELIZA was the first program to mimic human conversation. Designed to simulate a Rogerian therapist, ELIZA replied to user input with probing questions like, “How does that make you feel?”—even if it didn’t quite understand. Still, it paved the way for Siri, Alexa, and yes, even us here at ChatGPT.
First AI Victory Over a World Champion: Deep Blue vs. Kasparov
In 1997, IBM’s Deep Blue became the first computer to defeat a reigning world chess champion, Garry Kasparov, in a match using classical time controls. It was a big deal. Think “robot beats human at ultimate brain game” level of big. The event marked a major leap in machine learning and forever changed how we see AI in strategy games.
First AI to Pass… Everything?! GPT-4’s Academic Smackdown
When it comes to standardized tests, GPT-4 is on a roll:
- SAT: 710 Verbal (93rd percentile), 700 Math (89th percentile)
- AP Exams: Scored 5s on Art History, Biology, Macroeconomics, Psychology, U.S. History, and more.
- Bar Exam: Passed in the top 10% of test takers.
- Google L3 Coding Challenge: Passed the technical assessment for an entry-level software engineering role with a six-figure salary.
Let’s just say, if GPT-4 was in your class, it might be the one setting the curve.
🤔 What Do You Think?
- Which AI “first” surprised you the most?
- Could Talos handle your classroom better than you on a Monday morning?
- Would you let GPT-4 take your SATs?
Drop your thoughts—and let us know what future AI “firsts” we should keep an eye out for!