Artificial intelligence, once the preserve of science fiction writers, is back in fashion and getting serious attention from NASA and companies like Google as well as a new round of start-ups that are designing everything from next-generation search engines to machines that listen or that are capable of walking around in the world.

It seems both the good and bad Terminators will be a reality soon. The only question is how soon.

Read the brief history and potential of Aritificial Intelligence.