Edinburgh is the birthplace of AI in Europe. Take a closer look at some of the key discoveries, influential figures, and significant milestones in more than 60 years of computer science and AI research. Leading in Artificial Intelligence for 60 yearsSince 1963 the University of Edinburgh has been at the forefront of AI. From establishing Europe's first research group, and being the second university in the world after Stanford to teach the subject, we have shaped the field of AI globally. Key milestones 1963: AI in Europe begins in Edinburgh Professor Donald Michie establishes a pioneering machine learning research group at the University, building on his wartime code-breaking work at Bletchley Park. 1973: Freddy the robot Professor Michie and his team developed the highly teachable machine FREDERICK, which can identify, select and assemble objects from a jumbled heap. 1980: CCS published Professor Robin Milner published his Calculus for Communicating Systems (CCS), which laid the groundwork for computing systems’ ability to have multiple processes working together – vital for cloud computing, smart phones, and machine learning. 1998: Division of Informatics created What would become the UK’s leading School of Informatics is formed from the Department of Artificial Intelligence, the Centre for Cognitive Science and the Department of Computer Science, along with the Artificial Intelligence Applications Institute and the Human Communication Research Centre. 2008: The Informatics Forum opens The award-winning facility brings together all School of Informatics – now one of the largest in Europe – research activities under one roof. 2020: ARCHER2 arrives The latest version of the UK’s national supercomputer comes online at Edinburgh, providing high-performance computing resources for scientific research, modelling and developing AI. 2023: Welcoming GAIL The University unveils the Generative AI Laboratory (GAIL), a centre for excellence dedicated to researching all aspects of generative AI in society. 2024: Geoffrey Hinton awarded Nobel Prize in Physics The so-called Godfather of AI, Geoffrey Hinton, who received his PhD in AI from Edinburgh, is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2024 for his ground-breaking work on machine learning. Discover more about Edinburgh's AI legacy Take a deep dive into the stories behind our six decades of being a global leader in AI. Looking back to the future of Edinburgh’s AI legacy This article was published on 2025-03-11
