The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity
by Amy Webb
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A call-to-arms about the broken nature of artificial intelligence, and the powerful corporations that are turning the human-machine relationship on its head.We like to think that we are in control of the future of "artificial" intelligence. The reality, though, is that we—the everyday people whose data powers AI—aren't actually in control of anything. When, for example, we speak with Alexa, we contribute that data to a system we can't see and have no input into—one largely free from show more regulation or oversight. The big nine corporations—Amazon, Google, Facebook, Tencent, Baidu, Alibaba, Microsoft, IBM and Apple—are the new gods of AI and are short-changing our futures to reap immediate financial gain.
In this book, Amy Webb reveals the pervasive, invisible ways in which the foundations of AI—the people working on the system, their motivations, the technology itself—is broken. Within our lifetimes, AI will, by design, begin to behave unpredictably, thinking and acting in ways which defy human logic. The big nine corporations may be inadvertently building and enabling vast arrays of intelligent systems that don't share our motivations, desires, or hopes for the future of humanity.
Much more than a passionate, human-centered call-to-arms, this book delivers a strategy for changing course, and provides a path for liberating us from algorithmic decision-makers and powerful corporations.
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This book is all about the present state of artificial intelligence (AI). It is a lot more than just Alexa and smart thermostats.
China has made no secret of its plan to be the world leader in AI in the next few years. They are spending hundreds of billions of dollars at it. They are also building alliances with countries all over the developing world that may be rich in natural resources, but have not much infrastructure. America's response is to cut federal funding for basic scientific research, walk away from international treaties and alliances, and build a wall to keep people out of America.
Despite all the talk about getting women into STEM fields, AI is still very much of a boy's club. The percentage of women in the field is pretty show more dismal, and, for people of color, the numbers are even worse. The author presents three scenarios for the future of AI. Does America "get it," and build international alliances, on the way to becoming the world leader? Does China become the world leader, and control or occupy, the whole world, including America?
What can America do about it? Get away from the requirement that a company like Google or Apple must release a new AI gadget each year, or the stock price plummets. It takes time to do AI properly. Colleges currently restrict AI students to just technical courses. It must be possible for students to do a double major, like AI and politics. Ethics should be a central part of the curriculum, not just a one-semester course.
This book is very easy to read for everyone, not just people in the AI field. This easily reaches the level of Required Reading, in the classroom and the boardroom. show less
China has made no secret of its plan to be the world leader in AI in the next few years. They are spending hundreds of billions of dollars at it. They are also building alliances with countries all over the developing world that may be rich in natural resources, but have not much infrastructure. America's response is to cut federal funding for basic scientific research, walk away from international treaties and alliances, and build a wall to keep people out of America.
Despite all the talk about getting women into STEM fields, AI is still very much of a boy's club. The percentage of women in the field is pretty show more dismal, and, for people of color, the numbers are even worse. The author presents three scenarios for the future of AI. Does America "get it," and build international alliances, on the way to becoming the world leader? Does China become the world leader, and control or occupy, the whole world, including America?
What can America do about it? Get away from the requirement that a company like Google or Apple must release a new AI gadget each year, or the stock price plummets. It takes time to do AI properly. Colleges currently restrict AI students to just technical courses. It must be possible for students to do a double major, like AI and politics. Ethics should be a central part of the curriculum, not just a one-semester course.
This book is very easy to read for everyone, not just people in the AI field. This easily reaches the level of Required Reading, in the classroom and the boardroom. show less
Enjoyed the insight and perspective of the author on the state of current and future AI.
Library May '19
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4 Works 515 Members
Amy Webb is a quantitative futurist, the founder of the Future Today Institute, and professor of strategic foresight at New York University's Stern School of Business. The Big Nine was longlisted for The FT/McKinsey Best Business Book of 2019 award.
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- Genres
- Technology, Nonfiction, Business, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 006.301 — Computer science, information & general works Computer science, knowledge & systems Special computer methods (AI, barcoding, VR, web design, social media) Artificial Intelligence Philosophical aspects
- LCC
- Q334.7 .W43 — Science Science (General) Cybernetics
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- Reviews
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- English, German, Portuguese (Portugal), Spanish
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- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
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