man knowledge be imitated by a computer. The development of the LISP programming language in 1957 greatly helped the cause of artificial intelligence focus on the second question. Conventional programming languages, such as BASIC, FORTRAN and COBOL, process mathematical calculations. LISP works with symbols, such as words and phrases. Using separate decision making rules, LISP is able to reach conclusions without being programmed with the specific steps.
One researcher compares artificial intelligence and conventional computers to taking a taxicab. With artificial intelligence, the passenger tells the driver to go to the airport. Conventional computer systems require the passenger to tell the driver to insert the key, put his foot on the gas pedal, where to turn and so on (Leepson, 1985, p. 628).
Despite the potential of artificial intelligence, progress in the field was slow until the mid-1970s. This is because the available computer hardware wasn't powerful enough to enable artificial intelligence to reach its full potential. In the 1970s, when computer hardware prices started dropping and the available computer power started increasing at a high rate, artificial intelligence research began expanding as well.
One of the areas of artificial intelligence that is gaining a great deal of attention is that of
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