AI: The Folklore of Artificial Intelligence - #FolkloreThursday

Myths, as most readers will know, are stories that explain natural occurrences and express beliefs of right and wrong, while legends are, in the context of this article, popular myths of more recent origin. Myths and legends apply as much to contemporary science as to ancient historical phenomenon. The myths and legends of AI, which examined in this article, will illustrate exemplify that statement. Artificial Intelligence ("AI") is the engineering science of making intelligent machines and software imitate human behaviour and intelligence. The alleged impact of AI has focussed on the behaviour of humans in a world where AI moves centre stage in discharging roles and tasks, which humans have performed historically. Popular publications are the source of many myths and legends which have grown-up around AI Novels from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, through Samuel Butler's Erewhon to the novel of Brian Aldiss all feature creations which might replace the human being as the dominant specie.