The business of artificial intelligence: From Facebook chatbots to cyber crime prevention - Real Business

For anyone that thinks artificial intelligence (AI) belongs firmly in the future, it's worth taking a moment to remember that the technology has its roots squarely in the past; 60 years in the past to be precise. Six decades ago, delegates gathered at the first Dartmouth Conference to hear about an exciting new world of "artificial intelligence". It's said amongst IT historians that this was the first time the term was ever used. Today there are a lot of practical applications for AI but many people can't imagine a real world example that doesn't end with a group of crazy megalomaniac robots taking over the planet and wiping out humanity. But, as with many scientific advances, the reality is a lot simpler, modest and, dare we say, down-to-earth. Take Facebook's recent announcement about launching a range of chatbots.