Martyn Rhisiart Jones

Madrid, Thursday 5th February 2026

Anecdotes about UNIVAC and the early days of computing

UNIVAC and the Eisenhower Prediction

One of the most famous anecdotes involving UNIVAC was its prediction of the outcome of the 1952 U.S. presidential election between Dwight D. Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson. As the first computer used for commercial purposes, UNIVAC was tasked with predicting the election results. On live television, UNIVAC correctly predicted Eisenhower’s victory, despite widespread scepticism about the machine’s accuracy.