Contributions and Impact

John paved the way for the some of the worlds transformative technologies: programming languages, the Internet, the web, and robots. He conceived and developed time-sharing, invented the first programming language for symbolic computation LISP, and coined the term "Artificial Intelligence". His key contributions were in human-level AI and commonsense reasoning. To discover more, search his scientific articles.

As shown by his numerous awards, John was, indeed, a scientific giant. He was driven by an insatiable desire to model human reasoning using computers. His devotion to computer science together with his expansive intellectual capabilities have ensured his place in history as the father of AI. This website is dedicated to his contributions and the impact of his ideas.

The casual vistor may gain the impression that John McCarthy was limited to the study of scientific advancement. However, to those who knew him John was so much more than a gifted scientist. He had the curiosity and playfulness of a child, and lived life to the fullest. He flew planes, climbed mountains, and traveled to the Soviet Union and China in the 1960s and 70s at a time when it was a major challenge.

Awards and Prizes

John's genius was recognised early and he received several prestigious awards and prizes in his lifetime. His achievements will continue to impact society.