ENIAC, the First General-Purpose Electronic Computer, Invented in Philadelphia

The pioneering computer developed at the University of Pennsylvania sparked countless technological innovations.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The invention of ENIAC, the world's first general-purpose electronic computer, in Philadelphia in 1946 is considered a landmark moment in the history of computing. Developed by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert at the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School of Electrical Engineering, ENIAC was created to solve complex ballistic calculations for the U.S. Army during World War II. The massive machine, spanning 60 feet in length, was able to perform these calculations in just 30 seconds, a dramatic improvement over the previous 12-hour process.

Why it matters

The creation of ENIAC in Philadelphia is seen as the starting point for the age of modern computing and artificial intelligence. While ENIAC itself was only in use for about a decade, its pioneering technology and the questions it raised about whether machines could "think" laid the groundwork for countless technological innovations that followed.

The details

ENIAC, which stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, was the world's first general-purpose electronic computer. Developed by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert at the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School of Electrical Engineering, the machine was created to solve complex ballistic calculations for the U.S. Army during World War II. Prior to ENIAC, these calculations took 12 hours to complete, but the new electronic computer could do them in just 30 seconds.

  • ENIAC was developed in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • ENIAC was in use for about a decade after its creation.
  • February 15 is World Computer Day, and 2026 marks the 80th anniversary of ENIAC's development.

The players

John Mauchly

One of the developers of ENIAC at the University of Pennsylvania.

J. Presper Eckert

One of the developers of ENIAC at the University of Pennsylvania.

Vijay Kumar

The Dean of Penn Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

Paul Shaffer

An ENIAC historian.

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What they’re saying

“This is, I would say, probably the biggest invention in the world.”

— Vijay Kumar, Dean of Penn Engineering (cbsnews.com)

“We like to refer to it as the start of the age of computing.”

— Paul Shaffer, ENIAC historian (cbsnews.com)

“ENIAC was the starting point for artificial intelligence, so that's why it's so significant.”

— Vijay Kumar, Dean of Penn Engineering (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

Penn is hosting several celebrations in 2026 to mark the 80th anniversary of ENIAC's development.

The takeaway

The invention of ENIAC at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946 is considered a landmark moment in the history of computing, sparking countless technological innovations and laying the groundwork for the age of modern computing and artificial intelligence.