Artificial intelligence has long been a mainstay of science fiction, and increasingly it feels as if AI is entering our everyday lives, with virtual personal assistants such as Apple's Siri now ubiquitous and self-driving cars almost upon us. But what do we actually mean when we talk about artificial intelligence? In this comprehensive, beautifully illustrated account, AI expert Yorick Wilks traces the history of artificial intelligence back to its origins, examining not only how it works and why it was designed but also its controversies and achievements"--Page [4] of cover.