Parallel processing: A critical element in applying artificial intelligence to manufacturing

Fortified by Japan's fifth generation computer project, many researchers are vigorously pursuing parallel processing projects. Much of this work is a result of the desire to apply artificial intelligence techniques in a real-time environment such as manufacturing. Parallel processing increases both processing speed and programmer productivity. True concurrency in parallel processing increases to execute multiple segments of a program simultaneously on different processors. In order for real-time manufacturing systems to use the memory intensive and relatively slow artificial intelligence languages, such as LISP or Prolog, they will have to utilize concurrent programming on parallel processors.