The document traces the history of computers through 5 generations: 1) 1940-1956: Vacuum tubes. The ENIAC was the first general purpose electronic computer using 19,000 vacuum tubes. 2) 1956-1963: Transistors. Computers were developed for atomic energy and were smaller than previous generations. 3) 1964-1971: Integrated circuits. Computers became smaller, cheaper, and more accessible to the mass audience. 4) 1971-present: Microprocessors. The microprocessor brought the fourth generation as circuits were built onto silicon chips. 5) Present and beyond: Artificial intelligence. Fifth generation computers are based on AI and some applications like voice recognition