window.dotcom = window.dotcom || { cmd: [] }; window.dotcom.ads = window.dotcom.ads || { resolves: {enabled: [], getAdTag: []}, enabled: () => new Promise(r => window.dotcom.ads.resolves.enabled.push(r)), getAdTag: () => new Promise(r => window.dotcom.ads.resolves.getAdTag.push(r)) }; setTimeout(() => { if(window.dotcom.ads.resolves){ window.dotcom.ads.resolves.enabled.forEach(r => r(false)); window.dotcom.ads.resolves.getAdTag.forEach(r => r("")); window.dotcom.ads.enabled = () => new Promise(r => r(false)); window.dotcom.ads.getAdTag = () => new Promise(r => r("")); console.error("NGAS load timeout"); } }, 5000)

Exhibition explores World War Two origins of AI

Sam Read & Danny Fullbrook
BBC News, Buckinghamshire
Sam Read/BBC The entrance of the Artificial Intelligence AI exhibition where the title of the exhibition is displayed to look like a blue computer chip.Sam Read/BBC
Bletchley Park is seen as one of the birthplaces of modern computing and was the venue of the first global AI Safety Summit in 2023.

A new exhibition explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in modern society and how its origins were connected to World War Two.

During that conflict, Bletchley Park, near Milton Keynes, in Buckinghamshire, was where top-secret work took place to crack coded messages used by the Nazis and German high command.

In November 2023, it was the venue of the first global AI Safety Summit, attended by then prime minister Rishi Sunak and tech billionaire Elon Musk.

To coincide with the third summit, hosted in in February, Bletchley Park will hold a new exhibition called The Age of AI which it said will explore the past, present, and future of the technology.

Sam Read/BBC David Kenyon is wearing a three-quarter zip up fleece and wearing a shirt and tie underneath. He has short grey hair.Sam Read/BBC
Dr David Kenyon believes Bletchley Park is a "natural place to talk about AI"

Dr David Kenyon, research historian at Bletchley Park, pointed out the origins of AI were linked to the history of the code-breaking site.

He explained: "Key figures in the early development of AI: Jack Good, Donald Michie, Alan Turing, were all here. So Bletchley Park feels like a natural place to talk about AI.

"There's no doubt their thinking about computing was heavily influenced by the work they did here."

He pointed out that mathematician Irving 'Jack' Good once described a future with AI as a utopia, he later changed his mind and was a consultant for the sinister computer character HAL 9000 in the film '2001: A Space Odyssey'.

Dr Kenyon said: "Even the characters involved, Jack Good for example, changed his mind himself. So we have perhaps gone from 'the future is bright' to 'the future is uncertain'."

Sam Read/BBC Tilly Davis has long auburn hair and is wearing a red blazer. She is stood smiling close to the camera at the exhibitionSam Read/BBC
Tilly Davis hoped the exhibition provided a balanced view of AI

Tilly Davis, exhibition and interpretations manager at Bletchley Park, explained the event explores how artificial intelligence was developing and becoming a part of our everyday life.

"We've really tried to present a balanced view of both the opportunities and the risks of AI," she said.

"We've talked to experts across the field, who all have slightly different opinions on the future of AI as well."

The exhibition considers how AI was being used to tackle climate change but balanced that with an examination of the energy costs from data centres used to program the technology.

Sam Read/BBC Erica from exhibitions team at Bletchley Park looking directly into the camera with the colourful exhibition behind her. She has ginger hair and is wearing a stripey black and white top.Sam Read/BBC
Erica Munro said AI Summit was an important motivator for the exhibition

Erica Munro, head of content at Bletchley Park, itted AI is a "complicated and enormous topic".

She added: "Bletchley Park was a place during World War Two where technology was used to help solve really thorny, difficult, complicated problems - what is AI if not a tool to help us do that nowadays"Scenic rural landscape with green fields, scattered trees, and several houses in the background. Two horses graze in a field on the right, while the foreground is framed by leafy branches. The sky is blue with scattered clouds. " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/>

Contractor found for unexploded WW2 bombs survey

A contractor has been chosen to inspect fields at Route Isabelle with works to begin in early June.

2 days ago
Guernsey
2 days ago
Bridgette Daily and her husband, next to Donald Madar on the right, wearing a white T-shirt. Bridgette in the middle is smiling holding up the dog tags. Her husband has a blue polo shirt on and wears glasses.

WW2 soldier's dog tag home 80 years after crash

Joseph L Gray's was one of 31 American service personnel killed in a plane crash on North Barrule.

2 days ago
Isle of Man
2 days ago
Geoffrey Bolton, 100, on a exercise bike with coloured balloons tied to the handle bars, he is wearing a white fedora hat, black shorts, red top, and glasses. Behind him is a window and pictures on the walls.

RAF vet, 100, puts longevity down to daily cycling

He says he does not like any fuss and feels "no different at 100... it's just a number".

2 days ago
Cambridgeshire
3 days ago
A photo of Patrick in RAF uniform, complete with cap, jacket, shirt and tie.

Great Escape POW found in history society search

The recent find went from an innocuous enquiry about a house's history in Purley to Stalag Luft III.

3 days ago
Berkshire