Artificial Intelligence Across Domains (PUBLIC)

Without algorithms, a computer would be nothing more than “hardware” — a rather useless pile of electronic scrap. Algorithms have existed for a very long time and in many different forms. The earliest documented examples, such as the Babylonian method for extracting square roots, are almost 4,000 years old. Remarkably, the very same method is still used today in the most advanced computers. Algorithms have accompanied the history of science and culture from their beginnings to the present day. The authors present algorithmics—the study of algorithms—in the context of its historical development and place it at the center of discussions about the role of computers in our time. They address fundamental philosophical and scientific-theoretical questions in a non-technical language that is accessible even to non-specialists.

**Translation:** *Informatik-Spektrum* is a journal series published by the German Informatics Society (*Gesellschaft für Informatik*). It contains current and often practice-oriented reports on technical and scientific advances from all areas of computer science and its applications. Readers not only have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with new subject areas, but also to gain a broad overview of developments in the field. Its target audience includes not only trained computer scientists, but also anyone interested in following the scientific development of computer science, as well as students seeking insight into the tasks and challenges encountered in professional practice.