Artificial Intelligence as an Old Technology

Artificial intelligence is usually considered one of the newest technical ideas based on the progress of digital technologies. However, the dream of creating artificial intelligence is one of the oldest. In the mainstream of this imaginary biological, mechanical and mimetic approaches have emerged. The biotechnical approach (e.g. homunculus) implies the launch of certain natural processes that contribute to the creation of the most intellectually advanced creatures. Mechanical technologies (e.g. the automaton) contribute to the creation of limited intelligence, but are practically feasible to the greatest extent. Although by and large all artificial intelligence technologies have an imitative component, the mimetic approach implies that similarity is sufficient. Mimetic technologies of artificial intelligence (e.g. statue, golem) include a human in a kind of game with imitations which can take the form of the sculptures of Daedalus or modern game avatars and virtual assistants. The “creation technologies” and “applications” of artificial intelligence described in legends, stories, philosophical, and technical treatises allow us to see that its creation is, first of all, a challenge, a task of the greatest complexity, the resolution of which itself serves as a reward. Modern artificial intelligence, inheriting all three approaches to creation, continues to be discussed in line with classical myths and dichotomies, primarily as the embodiment of the imitation technology of creation. Humanity is equally dissatisfied with the fact that a machine can have equal or greater intellectual abilities than a person, and with the assumption that humanity is not capable of creating such a machine.