A thoughtful, learned contribution to the fevered conversation now surrounding AI.
A philosophically charged critique of the use of AI in the hands of human actors.
As Cambridge political scientist Runciman notes, machines may take over eventually, and perhaps in two phases: the First Singularity, where they do our work for us, and the Second Singularity, where they do our thinking for us and discover that humans are disposable. But note the order of the players in the subtitle: Corporations and states are “both like and unlike AIs and other kinds of artificial agents,” and it is unlikely that AIs will be able to achieve world mastery without the guidance of corporations and governments to which we have ceded so much power—and more likely the latter, since corporations as such are likely to evolve or disappear. “It’s not a question of us versus them,” writes Runciman of those artificial agents. “It’s a question of which of them gives us the best chance of still being us.” That question turns on many elements, including the nature of capitalism. Will it be a predatory capitalism, a capitalism that sees little growth (the author cites Brazil and Italy as modern examples), or a capitalism that has evolved to value its human actors? That’s anyone’s guess, but, perhaps comfortingly to some, Runciman argues that the much-touted digital revolution has produced little of lasting value: “Can the iPhone’s contribution to the sum of human well-being compete even with the humble washing machine?” Another aspect is whether the state, perhaps the most critical player in the author’s trinity, is going to side with humans or with AI. Perhaps comfortingly to all but the bots, he suggests that despite the state’s artificial characteristics, it’s humans that “are the source of its ability to function.” We may have a chance, after all.
A thoughtful, learned contribution to the fevered conversation now surrounding AI.Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2023
ISBN: 9781631496943
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Liveright/Norton
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Alternately admiring and critical, unvarnished, and a closely detailed account of a troubled innovator.
A warts-and-all portrait of the famed techno-entrepreneur—and the warts are nearly beyond counting.
To call Elon Musk (b. 1971) “mercurial” is to undervalue the term; to call him a genius is incorrect. Instead, Musk has a gift for leveraging the genius of others in order to make things work. When they don’t, writes eminent biographer Isaacson, it’s because the notoriously headstrong Musk is so sure of himself that he charges ahead against the advice of others: “He does not like to share power.” In this sharp-edged biography, the author likens Musk to an earlier biographical subject, Steve Jobs. Given Musk’s recent political turn, born of the me-first libertarianism of the very rich, however, Henry Ford also comes to mind. What emerges clearly is that Musk, who may or may not have Asperger’s syndrome (“Empathy did not come naturally”), has nurtured several obsessions for years, apart from a passion for the letter X as both a brand and personal name. He firmly believes that “all requirements should be treated as recommendations”; that it is his destiny to make humankind a multi-planetary civilization through innovations in space travel; that government is generally an impediment and that “the thought police are gaining power”; and that “a maniacal sense of urgency” should guide his businesses. That need for speed has led to undeniable successes in beating schedules and competitors, but it has also wrought disaster: One of the most telling anecdotes in the book concerns Musk’s “demon mode” order to relocate thousands of Twitter servers from Sacramento to Portland at breakneck speed, which trashed big parts of the system for months. To judge by Isaacson’s account, that may have been by design, for Musk’s idea of creative destruction seems to mean mostly chaos.
Alternately admiring and critical, unvarnished, and a closely detailed account of a troubled innovator.Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9781982181284
Page Count: 688
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change.
Artist and activist Vaid-Menon demonstrates how the normativity of the gender binary represses creativity and inflicts physical and emotional violence.
The author, whose parents emigrated from India, writes about how enforcement of the gender binary begins before birth and affects people in all stages of life, with people of color being especially vulnerable due to Western conceptions of gender as binary. Gender assignments create a narrative for how a person should behave, what they are allowed to like or wear, and how they express themself. Punishment of nonconformity leads to an inseparable link between gender and shame. Vaid-Menon challenges familiar arguments against gender nonconformity, breaking them down into four categories—dismissal, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope (fear of the consequences of acceptance). Headers in bold font create an accessible navigation experience from one analysis to the next. The prose maintains a conversational tone that feels as intimate and vulnerable as talking with a best friend. At the same time, the author's turns of phrase in moments of deep insight ring with precision and poetry. In one reflection, they write, “the most lethal part of the human body is not the fist; it is the eye. What people see and how people see it has everything to do with power.” While this short essay speaks honestly of pain and injustice, it concludes with encouragement and an invitation into a future that celebrates transformation.
A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change. (writing prompt) (Nonfiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09465-5
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020
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