Schmidhuber's annotated AI history: from 1676 chain rule to modern deep learning
SchmidhuberAI · x · 2026-09-23
Jürgen Schmidhuber released v3 (2025) of his annotated history of modern AI and deep learning, responding to discussion about nonlinear timelines. Key points:
- Machine learning is framed as the science of credit assignment
- The timeline stretches far back: chain rule (1676), first NNs (1800), first practical AI (1914), theory of AI's limits (1931-34), first working deep learning algorithms (1965-)
- Argues modern neural networks are conceptually closer to cybernetics than classic symbolic AI
- Includes extensive hyperlinked resources and debunks popular but misleading historical narratives
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