Hi, What would you say is the most widely used programming language in artificial intelligence (not just games, but all ai fields) ? Thanks

Well I've heard of lisp being used a lot for AI stuff, but I'm not sure if that is accurate.

Game AI (almost always) is in the same language as the game. Since most games are written in C++, most game AI is in C++.

Beyond those two statements, this humble hobbiest can't help much [wink]

I'm not sure I would say that game AI is usually in C++. As I understand (maybe I'm wrong?) game AI is often done in a game's scripting language (that is, for games that use a scripting language). Also, Game AI tends to be rather different from traditional Academic AI, so I wouldn't be suprised if they tended to use totally different languages anyway.

I've seen tons of (mostly older) projects in Lisp. I've also seen a strong and growing tendency for programs done in C++ and Java. I'd have to agree with the Anon in terms of games. If you're looking for recommendations, then search for the type of work that you're interested and see what others are doing/have done.

Alternatively, try them each out.

I'm doing AI-related work. I'm using Python and C++. I know that some AI researchers say Lisp has actually held back AI research.

right, so... nowadays lisp is the most commonly used programming language in AI research?

Quote: Original post by xyz
right, so... nowadays lisp is the most commonly used programming language in AI research?

I don't have any actual numbers, but I somehow doubt it.

Quote: Original post by Fruny
I'm doing AI-related work. I'm using Python and C++. I know that some AI researchers say Lisp has actually held back AI research.

While I'm a big advocate of Lisp, I might actually agree with that statement. I'd be interested to see the actual arguments, if you could recall them.

Lisp is probably the most widly used in AI academicly because of it's history, but I'm not sure about games. I'm coming at it from a more academic background :)
neo88

Quote: Original post by Woodsman
While I'm a big advocate of Lisp, I might actually agree with that statement. I'd be interested to see the actual arguments, if you could recall them.

It's been a while, but I believe it's about the fact that Lisp incites you to think about of everything as a list (yes, I know enough Common Lisp to know you got support for hashes, objects and other stuff, and I also agree that Lisp macros are unsurpassed), which conditions the mind into approaching problems "The Lisp Way" (similarly, in APL, everything is an array, so you end up banging on arrays regardless of the underlying nature of the problem). Sure enough, Lisp is wonderful if you want to do, say, genetic algorithms on function trees and things like that, but branding it The Language Of AI discourages the development of unLispish techniques.

Wiki: EverythingIsA.

I also find it funny how a lot of people chime in saying that Lisp is the language most used in AI research (e.g. because of its history) without checking out if it's still true nowadays (no, I don't know either, but I doubt it ... and I'm working in AI-related fields).