Artificial intelligence

There are numerous indications that the field of Artificial intelligence (AI) is now well established: a specialized journal is entering its third year of publication; the third major biennial conference organized by an ad hoc international council will be held in August; several textbooks and paper collections have been published, and several Computer Science Departments have AI specialties; and some important disciplines whose roots are in AI, such as Pattern Recognition and Symbolic Algebraic Manipulation, have already spun off as independent areas. Still, when I identify my field as Artificial intelligence, I frequently am met by blank stares, snickers, or questions concerning whether that means building simulated rats or planting false military rumors. I hope this issue of COMPUTER will clear up some of the confusion.