The Ai Delusion

We live in an incredible period in history. The Computer Revolution may be even more life-changing than the Industrial Revolution. We can do things with computers that could never be done before, and computers can do things for us that could never be done before. But our love of computers should not cloud our thinking about their limitations. We are told that computers are smarter than humans and that data mining can identify previously unknown truths, or make discoveries that will revolutionize our lives. Our lives may well be changed, but not necessarily for the better. Computers are very good at discovering patterns, but are useless in judging whether the unearthed patterns are sensible because computers do not think the way humans think. We fear that super-intelligent machines will decide to protect themselves by enslaving or eliminating humans. But the real danger is not that computers are smarter than us, but that we think computers are smarter than us and, so, trust computers to make important decisions for us. The AI Delusion explains why we should not be intimidated into thinking that computers are infallible, that data-mining is knowledge discovery, and that black boxes should be trusted.

We live in an incredible period in history. The Computer Revolution may be even more life-changing than the Industrial Revolution. We can do things with computers that could never be done before, and computers can do things for us that could never be done before. But our love of computers should not cloud our thinking about their limitations. We are told that computers are smarter than humans and that data mining can identify previously unknown truths, or make discoveries that will revolutionize our lives. Our lives may well be changed, but not necessarily for the better. Computers are very good at discovering patterns, but are useless in judging whether the unearthed patterns are sensible because computers do not think the way humans think. We fear that super-intelligent machines will decide to protect themselves by enslaving or eliminating humans. But the real danger is not that computers are smarter than us, but that we think computers are smarter than us and, so, trust computers to make important decisions for us. The AI Delusion explains why we should not be intimidated into thinking that computers are infallible, that data-mining is knowledge discovery, and that black boxes should be trusted.

Gold winner in Business Technology category, 2020 Axiom Business Book Awards Extraordinary innovations in technology promise to transform the world, but how realistic is the claim that AI will change our lives? In this much needed book the acclaimed economist Roger Bootle responds to the fascinating economic questions posed by the age of the robot, steering a path away from tech jargon and alarmism towards a rational explanation of the ways in which the AI revolution will affect us all. Tackling the implications of Artificial Intelligence on growth, productivity, inflation and the distribution of wealth and power, THE AI ECONOMY also examines coming changes to the the way we educate, work and spend our leisure time. A fundamentally optimistic view which will help you plan for changing times, this book explains AI and leads you towards a more certain future. Extraordinary innovations in technology promise to transform the world, but how realistic is the claim that AI will change our lives? In this much needed book the acclaimed economist Roger Bootle responds to the fascinating economic questions posed by the age of the robot, steering a path away from tech jargon and alarmism towards a rational explanation of the ways in which the AI revolution will affect us all. Tackling the implications of Artificial Intelligence on growth, productivity, inflation and the distribution of wealth and power, THE AI ECONOMY also examines coming changes to the the way we educate, work and spend our leisure time. A fundamentally optimistic view which will help you plan for changing times, this book explains AI and leads you towards a more certain future.

Ken Wilber's latest book is a daring departure from his previous writings—a highly original work of fiction that combines brilliant scholarship with tongue-in-cheek storytelling to present the integral approach to human development that he expounded in more conventional terms in his recent A Theory of Everything. The story of a naïve young grad student in computer science and his quest for meaning in a fragmented world provides the setting in which Wilber contrasts the alienated "flatland" of scientific materialism with the integral vision, which embraces body, mind, soul, and spirit in self, culture, and nature. The book especially targets one of the most stubborn obstacles to realizing the integral vision: a disease of egocentrism and narcissism that Wilber calls "boomeritis" because it seems to plague the baby-boomer generation most of all. Through a series of sparkling seminar-lectures skillfully interwoven with the hero's misadventures in the realms of sex, drugs, and popular culture, all of the major tenets of extreme postmodernism are criticized—and exemplified—including the author's having a bad case of boomeritis himself. Parody, intellectual slapstick, and a mind-twisting surprise ending unite to produce a highly entertaining summary of the work of cutting-edge theorists in human development from around the world.

All organisations have problems, and they nearly always concern people: how to manage them; whom to hire, fire or promote; and how to motivate, develop and retain high performers. Psychology, the main science for understanding people, should be a pivotal tool for solving these problems - yet most companies play it by ear, and billions of dollars are wasted on futile interventions to attract and retain the right people for key roles. Bridging the gap between the psychological science of talent and common real-world talent practices, The Talent Delusion aims to educate HR and talent practitioners and leaders on critical talent issues. It will help readers understand the current problems pertaining employee selection, development and engagement; how to define and evaluate talent; how to detect and inhibit toxic employee behaviours; and how to motivate employees to perform to their best.

This book provides a revolutionarily new concentric sphere model of both human and artificial intelligence. It is intended to dramatically improve understanding and framing of reality and thereby to increase our happiness through effectiveness at getting what we want out of life. No sphere is necessarily more important than another, rather what's important is the fact that we must focus on one and then another and still another, depending upon the urgency of the changing situation in any given sphere. It includes a new model of our mind, reality and AI. Based on diligent research, great effort has been made to stick only to the provable. So, to the largest extent possible this is a true elucidation of the realities of our existence. I am hopeful that it will improve the quality of our life experience and help prevent calamity and destruction. I also attempt to prepare for scenarios that we cannot control due to natural events. In addition, I hope to provide better understanding of human intelligence, artificial intelligence and the different aspects of our shared reality. Hopefully this will also provide a model that will improve the mental health of our world, our families and friends and especially those who suffer from delusion, PTSD, anxiety disorders and other maladies that proper framing and understanding of human intelligence (HI) as well as artificial intelligence (AI) may facilitate.The sphere approach brings a clear focus to the fact that it is not sufficient to "do the ostrich" and focus only on our business, or our family and friends and build our world only in that sphere, while we act like other spheres of reality are not important to our survival, because they are. Awareness of reality is vital to happiness, to mitigating risk and to achieving objectives. Can an artificial intelligence (AI) make intelligent decisions without an accurate awareness of the problem it is solving? No, and the same is true of human intelligence (HI). Even our techniques themselves for dealing with reality are learned by awareness along with creative thought. So, it is important to stay plugged in to all the spheres of life and what I offer you is a first attempt to preliminarily define them.What is this book's purpose?1)To help people cope with reality.2)To present a new sphere-based view of reality that encompasses all intelligences to help us to effectively achieve in each sphere of our reality.3)To demonstrate the parallels between artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence (HI) to help intelligences to understand themselves and AI and thereby to be more effective achievers and mitigators of risk.4)To provide a model for reality that enables intelligences to recognize and filter out delusion, to accurately perceive reality.Who is this book's audience?1)All HI interested in AI2)All AI interested in HI3)People seeking to understand our reality.4)All who seek to understand the human mind.5)Intelligences, including people that seek to be effective in accomplishing their objectives.

"The revolution will be Twittered!" declared journalist Andrew Sullivan after protests erupted in Iran in June 2009. Yet for all the talk about the democratizing power of the Internet, regimes in Iran and China are as stable and repressive as ever. In fact, authoritarian governments are effectively using the Internet to suppress free speech, hone their surveillance techniques, disseminate cutting-edge propaganda, and pacify their populations with digital entertainment. Could the recent Western obsession with promoting democracy by digital means backfire? In this spirited book, journalist and social commentator Evgeny Morozov shows that by falling for the supposedly democratizing nature of the Internet, Western do-gooders may have missed how it also entrenches dictators, threatens dissidents, and makes it harder -- not easier -- to promote democracy. Buzzwords like "21st-century statecraft" sound good in PowerPoint presentations, but the reality is that "digital diplomacy" requires just as much oversight and consideration as any other kind of diplomacy. Marshaling compelling evidence, Morozov shows why we must stop thinking of the Internet and social media as inherently liberating and why ambitious and seemingly noble initiatives like the promotion of "Internet freedom" might have disastrous implications for the future of democracy as a whole.

'A thought-provoking and worthwhile read' THE TIMES 'A timely, challenging book' GUARDIAN '[A] rich, intriguing book' NATURE WE ARE MUCH MORE CONNECTED TO NATURE AND EACH OTHER THAN WE REALISE . . . - Most of our 37 trillion cells have such a short lifespan that we are essentially made anew every few weeks - The molecules forming our bodies have been component parts of countless other organisms, from ancient plants to dinosaurs - The bacteria, fungi and viruses that make up our bodies influence our moods and even manipulate our behaviour - Every word and every touch we receive from other people transforms the neural networks in our brain and changes our sense of self THE SELF DELUSION is an explosive, powerful and inspiring book that brings together overwhelming evidence against the illusion we have of ourselves as independent beings - and explains how understanding our many connections may be the key to a better future.