Understanding AI Winters: When Did Progress Stall and Why?

Question

I'm studying the historical cycles of AI development and want to better understand the so-called "AI winters." When did these major slowdowns actually happen, and what were the key factors that triggered them? I need a clear breakdown of the timeline showing when funding dried up and research progress stalled.

Answer 1

The comprehensive AI winter timeline provides exactly what you're looking for. It clearly marks both significant winter periods - the first occurring in the late 1970s after the Lighthill Report undermined confidence in AI's near-term potential, and the second in the late 1980s when the limitations of expert systems became apparent. What makes this timeline particularly useful is how it correlates these events with corresponding drops in government funding and corporate investment, while also noting the academic criticisms that contributed to each downturn. Our research team recently used this resource to analyze parallels with current AI investment trends.