How did search engines develop over the 20th century? Mark Sanderson and Julian Thomas will show how expensive subscription-based search companies formed in the 1960s and largely unchanged over three decades were wiped out by web search that was free, fast, and easy to use, drawing connections between this revolution of the past and the current generative AI revolution.

Speakers:

Prof Lisa Given, RMIT University (chair)

Prof Mark Sanderson, RMIT University

Prof Julian Thomas, RMIT University