Timeline of the History of Artificial Intelligence in Europe

As artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications continue to reshape our world, understanding its historical roots is important, and increasingly so, for several explicit reasons. First, the pace and scale of AI’s impact are accelerating. The rapid integration of AI into critical sectors—such as healthcare, transportation, finance, and education—means that decisions about research, policy, and regulation must be informed by a deep understanding of how current technologies evolved and the lessons learned from past successes and failures. Second, the importance of understanding AI’s history is growing because ethical, societal, and regulatory questions are becoming more urgent. This is particularly true for Europe, where a rich tapestry of AI-based research and innovation has unfolded over the past seven decades. We hypothesize that by documenting the histories of AI in Europe through this timeline, we will uncover underrepresented milestones, providing insights into future AI research directions and policy developments. This timeline will offer a comprehensive historical record and serve as a practical tool for analyzing trends in AI development specific to the European context.