Alan Turing
Alan Turing was an English mathematician, computer scientist, and cryptographer who is widely regarded as the father of computer science and artificial intelligence. He was born on June 23, 1912, in London and died on June 7, 1954, in Wilmslow, Cheshire, England.
During World War II, Turing worked for the British government as a cryptographer and played a crucial role in breaking the German Enigma code, which enabled the Allies to decipher secret messages sent by the Germans. He also contributed significantly to the development of the first electronic computers, including the design of the ACE (Automatic Computing Engine) computer.
Turing is also known for his contributions to the theory of computation and his work on artificial intelligence, including the Turing test, a method for determining whether a machine can exhibit human-like intelligence. His work on computability and the concept of a universal machine laid the foundations for modern computer science.
Despite his contributions to science and the war effort, Turing was persecuted for his homosexuality, which was illegal in the UK at the time. In 1952, he was convicted of gross indecency and forced to undergo chemical castration. He tragically committed suicide in 1954 at the age of 41.
In 2009, then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued an official apology on behalf of the British government for the way Turing was treated. In 2013, Queen Elizabeth II granted Turing a posthumous pardon. Today, Turing's legacy lives on through his contributions to computer science and his role as a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community.
