Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field within computer science that is attempting to build enhanced intelligence into computer systems.This book traces the history of the subject, from the early dreams of eighteenth-century (and earlier) pioneers to the more successful work of today's AI engineers.AI is becoming more and more a part of everyone's life.The technology is already embedded in face-recognizing cameras, speech-recognition software, Internet search engines, and health-care robots, among other applications.The book's many diagrams and easy-to-understand descriptions of AI programs will help the casual reader gain an understanding of how these and other AI systems actually work.Its thorough (but unobtrusive) end-of-chapter notes containing citations to important source materials will be of great use to AI scholars and researchers.This book promises to be the definitive history of a field that has captivated the imaginations of scientists, philosophers, and writers for centuries.