Artificial Intelligence: A Historical Reflection – Machines, Emotions, and Human Imagination

Artificial Intelligence: A Historical Reflection revisits the origins of AI, exploring it not only as a tool but as a cultural and philosophical phenomenon. Elisabeth Willson traces the early discourse around artificial intelligence back to Alan Turing, when the field hovered between abstraction and concreteness, curiosity and speculation, rather than practical applications.

Unlike contemporary discussions that focus on machine learning, large language models, and utilitarian outcomes, this book examines the emotional and imaginative dimensions of AI. It considers questions such as: Can machines have emotional qualities? How do humans experience pleasure or fascination in their interactions with machines? What does originality mean in machine-generated outputs?

Through a historical and conceptual lens, Willson highlights how science fiction often addressed these themes more vividly than early computer science or psychology, which tended to exclude notions of machine “humanity” and user enjoyment. The book encourages readers to reconsider AI beyond its functional applications, embracing wonder, play, and reflection on the evolving relationship between humans and intelligent machines.