The First Robot Was Built to Play Chess - Apparently.
In 1769, French inventor and philosopher Jacques de Vaucanson built a mechanical chess player called the "Automaton Chess Player." This lifelike robot was powered by water and air, and was capable of playing a game of chess without human intervention. Vaucanson's creation was so impressive that it was showcased at the Palace of Versailles, where it was said to have played against the French monarch, Louis XV.