Richard Greenblatt
Richard Greenblatt is an AI programmer whose work connected chess software with Lisp systems for artificial intelligence. He arrived at MIT in 1962 and worked on PDP-6 LISP routines before developing a compiler with Stuart Nelson that became MacLisp. Mac Hack VI became the first computer program to play against a person in a chess tournament in 1967 and earned a rating of 1400. With Thomas Knight, he worked on the CADR LISP machine at MIT; by 1980, he led Lisp Machines, Inc. In April 2024, he attended an MIT demonstration of a PiDP-10 computer with about 50 other people.
- Works
- 14
- Citations
- 306
- h-index
- 6
Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.
Timeline
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1962
Arriving at MIT
He arrives at MIT in fall 1962.
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1963
Building PDP-6 LISP
In 1963, he and other MIT students work on LISP routines for the PDP-6. With Stuart Nelson, he designs a compiler that becomes MacLisp.
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1967
A tournament chess program
In 1967, his Mac Hack VI becomes the first computer program to play against a person in a chess tournament and earns a rating of 1400.
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1978
The CADR LISP machine
In 1978, he and Thomas Knight work on the CADR LISP machine at MIT, a project to build machines specialized for artificial intelligence work.
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By 1980
Leading Lisp Machines
By 1980, he heads Lisp Machines, Inc., one of two commercial spin-offs from the MIT LISP machine project.
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April 2024
At a PiDP-10 demonstration
At an MIT PiDP-10 demonstration in April 2024, he appears among about 50 people in attendance.
Sources and credits
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