Alan Turing and artificial Intelligence (1912-54)

Alan Turing is famous for being an eccentric, but brilliant, mathematician who both conceived modern computing and played an important part in the Allied victory over Nazi Germany.

In 1931 Turing gained a scholarship to Cambridge University where he studied mathematics. After his graduation he was given a Fellowship (a special position as a researcher and lecturer) and would have had a distinguished academic career as a mathematician. In 1936 he moved to Princeton University in the USA, where he developed theories about secret codes. However, at the beginning of World War 2, he returned to Britain to lead a team of scientists and mathematicians who were working at Bletchley Park. Bletchley Park is located about two hours’ drive from London.

Turing and his team were attempting to break German codes. At Bletchley Park he built a machine called ‘the Bombe’ which was able to decode messages sent using the German Enigma machines. In May 1941, in its first important success, the team deciphered a message giving the location and destination of the German battleship, Bismarck, which was later intercepted and sunk by the British navy.

After World War 2, Turing took up a position at Manchester University. In 1950 he published an article that contained a series of questions that could be used to determine if a machine could display intelligent behaviour and think like a human being. This concept is what we now call Artificial Intelligence. He originally called his article the ‘Imitation Game’, but it is now called the Turing Test [of Artificial Intelligence].

Unfortunately, Turing was a victim of mid-20^th century intolerant attitudes to homosexuality. In 1952 his security clearance was cancelled and he was convicted of ‘gross indecency’, a term used at the time to describe (criminal) sexual activity between men. Rather than go to prison, he chose to undergo chemical castration. Two years later, he committed suicide by taking cyanide.

In December 2013 Turing was granted a royal pardon, formally cancelling his criminal conviction. His face is now on the new £50 banknote.

1.  What was Alan Turing’s area of expertise?
2. Where is Bletchley Park?
3. When was his security clearance cancelled?
4. What crime was he convicted of? What was his punishment?
5. When did he die? How did he die?
6. Where did Turing study mathematics?
7. When did he return to Britain from America?
8. Where did he work during the Second World War?
9. What was the name of the decoding machine that he invented?
10. What is the Turing Test?

ANSWERS

1. Turing's field of expertise was mathematics.

2. About two hours drive from London, England

3. 1952

4. He was convicted of 'gross indecency'. His punishment was chemical castration.

5. He died in 1954. He committed suicide by taking the poison cyanide. 

6. He studied mathematics at Cambridge University.

7. He returned to Britain from America at the beginning of World War 2 (1940).

8. He worked at Bletchley Park.

9. The decoding machine he invented was called 'the Bombe'.

10. The Turing Test is a test used to determine if a machine can think like a human being.

Here are the answers to last week’s grammar questions:

1. They’re ON holiday in Japan
2. Is she youR friend?
3. I’m in my room IN/AT the Radford Hotel.
4. John and Paul are my friendS.
5. They are accountants.
6. RusSia is my favourite country.
7. ARE WE near the gallery?
8. Where are they NOW?
9. Right now HE’S/HE IS on holiday in Germany.
10. What’s HER job?
11. She’s A doctor.
12. It is closeD tomorrow.
13. The cathedral isn’t open on the
14. My birthday is IN December.
15. Is Hampton Court A palace?
16. What’S/ WHAT IS your favourite restaurant?
17. Instant coffee IS awful.
18. The food IS nice.
19. WE ARE in Japan.
20. Here’s a map OF the area.