ASU scholar finds 'artificial intelligence' term in 1588 book, signaling earlier roots
A discovery suggesting the phrase existed long before the 20th century and raises questions about AI history.
What happened
An ASU professor identified the term 'artificial intelligence' in a 1588 book by John Harvey, noting it as an early use to critique prophecies.
Why it matters
This finding shows the phrase predates modern AI debates, prompting careful interpretation of historical language and its limits.
The 1588 book by English physician and astrologer John Harvey contains a line that uses the phrase artificial intelligence. The discovery, reported by ASU English scholar Brandi Adams, suggests the term appeared far earlier than the commonly cited 1955 origin in AI discussions.
This finding does not claim that 1588 Harvey built anything like modern AI; instead, it traces language used to describe predictive thinking, astronomy, and prophecy, underscoring how terms travel through time and context.
What this does not tell us
Based on a single early modern text; interpretation of how the term was used and its semantic relation to modern AI is indirect and not a technological claim.
FOR PEOPLE
Benefits reportedUnderstand that AI’s name has older roots than many assume, without alarm.
FOR AI AND ITS OPERATORS
No direction statedNot applicable to AI system behavior in this evidence.
These are two separate readings of what the sources describe. Reported claims and risks do not by themselves establish a real-world effect.
Original sources · 1
- ASU Professor Finds Term 'Artificial Intelligence' in 1588 Book ↗news.asu.edu · 2026-09-03
Reporting discovered in United States. Discovery market does not mean the event happened there.
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