The French Society of Computer Scientists: AFCET

The French Learned Society for Computer Scientists, AFCET (Association Française pour la Cybernétique Economique et Technique) originated in 1968 with the merger of four associations for automatic control, operational research, information processing, and instrumentation and control, all of which were considered to be components of the term "cybernetics." The novelty of this process explains how difficult it was for computer science to be recognized in the manner that computer scientists desired, both in AFCET and in the university. Discussion regarding cybernetics, which has continued in the background within AFCET, has emerged again today to respond to questions posed by artificial intelligence in its most advanced developments.