Claude Shannon
Mathematician & Father of Information Theory
About
Claude Shannon (1916–2001) was an American mathematician and engineer who founded information theory with his landmark 1948 paper 'A Mathematical Theory of Communication.' His work provided the theoretical basis for digital computing and communication, defining the 'bit' as the fundamental unit of information. Shannon showed that information could be quantified, transmitted, and processed—concepts that underpin everything from the internet to modern AI. His work on chess-playing machines and maze-solving robots also made him a pioneer in artificial intelligence.
Key Contributions
- Founded information theory
- Defined the 'bit' as unit of information
- Published 'A Mathematical Theory of Communication'
- Applied Boolean algebra to circuit design
- Built early chess-playing machines and AI systems
