AI, although a very common buzz word currently, is not a brand new concept. Research in the field started in the 1950s with computers learning simple games such as checkers. In the beginning, expectations were that within 20 years, machines will be capable of doing any work a human can do. Subsequently, progress in AI had its ups and downs, due to limitations in computing power and commercial viability, which impacted the available funding and public focus on the field. This should hardly be a surprise as it's a commonly repeating pattern in technological progress. A parallel can be drawn to space exploration with all the moon missions in the 1960s and 1970s, which have subsequently been discontinued or substantially slowed down. The public spotlight and funding budgets are a key driver behind continued innovation.
Coming back to AI, it was boosted further...