Throwback Thursday: Turing, 'father of artificial intelligence' and code-breaker, born in 1912

In 1936, British mathematician Alan Turing would publish one of the most important papers in the history of technology. Now recognized as the foundation of computer science, Turing invented the idea of a ‘Universal Machine’ which could decode and perform any set of instructions it was given. Ten years later, he would turn those plans into a plan for an actual electronic computer.

In 1950, he developed the Turing Test, designed to test a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behavior in comparison to that of a human. It would become one of the foundations in the philosophy of artificial intelligence.

Turing, who was born on this day in 1912, would go on to pioneer ideas in other areas such as mathematics and theoretical biology, is also known for aiding the British government to help break the codes of the famous German Enigma machine during World War II.

To learn more about Turing, check out these eight things you didn’t know about him.