Alan Turing. In the field of computer science and artificial intelligence.

His greatest contribution

But one of Turing's most influential contributions to artificial intelligence was his proposal for the Turing Test. This became a milestone in computer science and artificial intelligence.

In 1950, Turing published an article entitled "Computing Machinery and Intelligence", in which he proposed the Turing Test as a way of determining whether a machine can exhibit intelligent behavior comparable to that of a human being.

What is the Turing test?

The Turing Test consists of the evaluator interacting with two entities, a computer and a human being, through an online communication system. The evaluator does not know whether he/she is interacting with a machine or a human being. He must determine which is which based on the answers provided. If the machine can fool the evaluator into believing it is interacting with a human being, it has passed the Turing Test.

Turing's proposal was a revolutionary idea at the time and is still considered a fundamental test of artificial intelligence today. Today, the Turing Test is used as a benchmark to measure a machine's ability to perform tasks that previously could only be done by humans. These tasks include natural language processing and decision-making.

However, the Turing Test has been criticized and challenged by some artificial intelligence experts. These experts argue that it is not a sufficient measure of whether a machine is truly intelligent or conscious. Some have proposed other tests, such as the Consciousness Test or the Forgery Test, to assess artificial intelligence more effectively.

Despite these criticisms, Turing's legacy and contribution to computer science and artificial intelligence remain fundamental. The Turing Test has become a milestone in computer science history and remains a valuable tool for measuring machines' ability to mimic human intelligence.

Alan Turing was a pioneer in computer science and artificial intelligence. His proposal of the Turing Test remains a fundamental reference for measuring machines' ability to mimic human intelligence. 

 A genius dies

Sadly, this genius ended tragically. In 1952, Turing was prosecuted for "gross indecency" after admitting to a homosexual relationship, which was illegal in England at the time. He was sentenced to chemical castration and banned from working for the government, which ruined his career. Despite his achievements and contributions to World War II, discrimination and prejudice against him were too much for him.

On June 8, 1954, his housekeeper found him dead in his home. The cause of death was cyanide poisoning, which he inhaled from an apple that he allegedly placed on the fruit himself. The apple was found next to his body and it is speculated that Turing obtained it to mask the bitter taste of the cyanide solution. Police classified the death as suicide.

It was a profound loss to the scientific and technological community. There has been speculation that his career and life might have taken a very different course had he not been discriminated against because of his sexual orientation. In 2009, the then British prime minister, Gordon Brown, offered an official apology on behalf of the British government for the treatment Turing had received. He acknowledged his contributions to science and warfare. In 2013, Queen Elizabeth II granted him a posthumous pardon for his crimes.