Alex Bernstein demonstrates how IBM's AI can play a game of chess

1957: First working chess program

Alex Bernstein and his IBM colleagues developed the first complete chess program in 1957, which ran on the IBM 704 computer, IBM's first mass-produced computer. At the time it was a big challenge to develop a working program given the limited memory of the 704.

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is an American multinational information technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, with operations in over 170 countries. IBM produces and sells computer hardware, middleware and software, and provides hosting and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology. IBM is also a major research organization.

The Barbican's AI: More than Human (16 May-26 Aug 2019) is an major exhibition exploring creative and scientific developments in artificial intelligence demonstrating its potential to revolutionise our lives. Part of Life Rewired, the Barbican's 2019 season exploring what it means to be human when technology is changing everything.