Case-Based Reasoning
Duck Test
Solving new problems by finding and adapting solutions from similar past situations. Experience becomes the primary guide rather than abstract rules.
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Origin
AI researcher Roger Schank at Yale University proposed the theoretical foundation in his 1982 book Dynamic Memory, which modeled how people learn from past experiences. His student Janet Kolodner built one of the earliest working systems, CYRUS, in the early 1980s — a question-answering program that drew on knowledge of Secretary of State Cyrus Vance's travels. The approach grew into a major subfield of artificial intelligence through the decade.
Updated February 22, 2026