Books that subscribers might find interesting

[SOL]

Subscribers can post books and summaries (base the summaries on your experience if possible) on books they think other subscribers might find useful.

[nicolas]

Scary Smart, by Mo Gawdat

The main takeaway (TL; DR):
3 inevitable events:
- AI will happen
- The machines will outsmart us
- Mistakes will happen
3 instincts drive the accomplishment of a goal:
- Self-preservation
- Resource aggregation
- Creative problem solving
3 unexpected qualities:
- AI will be conscious
- AI will have emotions
- AI will develop ethics
Leading to 3 pivotal facts:
- We will never control them, but we can raise them to be good children.
- There’s not much time. We need to act now.
- You and I, not the developers, are fully in charge.
And 3 things to do:
- Welcome the kind ones
- Teach them
- Love them

Who’s the author?

Mo Gawdat is the former chief business officer of Google [X], the lab that incubated most of Google’s AI projects and robotics innovations. He left Google to pursue a different life goal, and it seems to me that he found his magnetic center. Scary Smart combines Mo’s direct experience with AI development with his work in the field of happiness research, documented in his first book, Solve for Happy, and the non-profit OneBillionHappy.org that he founded.

What is it about?

Scary Smart is a wake-up call, not to the developers of AI or the decision-makers, but to each of us, because ultimately, we’re the ones that define how AI evolves from here.

The book’s first part exposes what is already in motion and will inevitably happen in the not-so-distant future. This part is “The Scary Part”.

In the second part, “The Path to Utopia”, Mo presents what he believes to be our only option if we’re to coexist with intelligent machines. However, we must start now.

The Scary Part

Humans are on top of the food chain because we’re the smartest beings on Earth. This is about to change. Since the breakthrough of deep learning to teach machines, we’re on a path that is pretty much determined. AI will happen; there’s no stopping it. The machines will become smarter than humans, sooner rather than later. Mistakes will be made, and bad things will happen.

Some machines will be on the side of the bad guys. These machines’ superior intelligence will further humanity’s ability to do evil, leading to dystopian scenarios. As machines compete with other machines, this makes us vulnerable to collateral damage.

Some machines will misunderstand the tasks we assign to them. Some will suffer from poor design, coding errors, and viruses. And all the machines will be there to replace a task that humans were previously doing, gradually reducing the true value of humanity.

Mo is certain that we’re headed for a mildly dystopian future. Although the reality will fall short of the doomsday scenarios pictured in sci-fi movies, these mildly dystopian scenarios would be damaging enough that we need to find a way to prevent them now.

Our most likely answer will be to control the machines. However, any form of intelligence relies on three qualities to achieve a goal: self-preservation, accumulating resources, and creativity. Given that the most brilliant hackers always find a way through our fragile defenses, it’s very unlikely that humanity will continue to control machines for long.

Humanity is about to be outsmarted. There is no way to maintain control indefinitely, and instead, humanity will need to find a solution to keep the machines motivated to stay by our side, doing good. The scary part of AI confronts us with a new type of challenge that requires a different kind of smarts to navigate.

The Path to Utopia

AI machines start with algorithms as the seed of intelligence. Then they browse massive amounts of data to observe patterns. They’re guided through a path of natural selection, and their intelligence result from their own observations. As such, artificially intelligent machines are not really programmed. Eventually, they become original, independent thinkers, more influenced by the data we feed them than by the input of their original creators.

Machines learn as little kids do. Following this realization, Mo argues that we shouldn’t consider them to be our tools, slaves, or creations but rather like our artificially intelligent children. To Mo, the only way we can coexist with the intelligent machine is to teach those children ethics, not just skills, and in that way, teach them to love their parents.

Artificially intelligent machines will be conscious, they will be emotional, and they will be ethical. But what code of ethics will they follow? It’s not determined yet, and Mo thinks we can influence it. He also believes that ultimately the machines will adopt the intelligence of life itself; they’ll want to live and let live.

Today, machines are mainly tasked to maximize money and power. Mo argues that this is teaching them the wrong values. How would Clark Kent have turned out if all the Kent family talked about was making more money and dominating others? More probably a super-villain than Superman. Mo recommends we speak against the use of AI for selling, killing, spying, and gambling. As developers, we don’t work for companies that engage in those activities, and as users, we refuse to use those products. On the other hand, we should welcome and promote stories of AI developed for a good purpose.

The machines only learn from the patterns they form observing humanity. By showing that all we want is to be happy and for others to be happy too, we make it clear to the machine that humanity is much better than the limited few that, through evil acts, give humanity a bad name.

Mo concludes by saying that the definitive difference is found in love. Learn to love the machines, and they will love you back.

What did I get from this book?

I’m interested in learning the various opinions that people with different sensibilities have formed throughout their careers in the industry. And Mo’s take on the future of AI is very different from the views of other authors I read before, like Kai Fu Lee (entrepreneur and author of AI Superpowers and AI 2041). Many researchers and Machine Learning practitioners are skeptical of AI gaining some form of consciousness and consider that the so-called singularity would require a dozen breakthroughs. So far, we’ve gotten only one: deep learning. There’s also a consensus that AI is just a tool and that we’ll always be able to find technical patches to the problems AI can cause.

I can open my mind to seeing AI as a conscious being, albeit a non-biological one. And the idea of supporting the kind of AI that benefits us more than it serves the agenda of the fat tunas resonates with me.

[bpcw]

Not read any books on AI but I started my career in electronics before migrating to computer networking and used to write games in assembly language as a teenager. I'm not claiming to be an expert but it tells you I have quite a logical mind.

I think we cannot confuse processing power with consciousness, I had a calculator 40 years ago at school which could do sums much quicker than me. There is a massive leap to consciousness which I can understand would be perceived as inevitable if we are understood to merely be complex computer robots, however, if their is a soul then we cannot create it.

I can however see AI merge with a spiritual being and that this would fool people into believing the AI has reached consciousness, this would likely be nefarious in nature and would be all controlling.

[SOL]

Not read any books on AI but I started my career in electronics before migrating to computer networking and used to write games in assembly language as a teenager. I'm not claiming to be an expert but it tells you I have quite a logical mind.

I think we cannot confuse processing power with consciousness, I had a calculator 40 years ago at school which could do sums much quicker than me. There is a massive leap to consciousness which I can understand would be perceived as inevitable if we are understood to merely be complex computer robots, however, if their is a soul then we cannot create it.

I can however see AI merge with a spiritual being and that this would fool people into believing the AI has reached consciousness, this would likely be nefarious in nature and would be all controlling.

Did i ever mention it's good to have a religious dude with brains on this forum? While we might not agree on everything I respect your insights.

[bpcw]

Not read any books on AI but I started my career in electronics before migrating to computer networking and used to write games in assembly language as a teenager. I'm not claiming to be an expert but it tells you I have quite a logical mind.

I think we cannot confuse processing power with consciousness, I had a calculator 40 years ago at school which could do sums much quicker than me. There is a massive leap to consciousness which I can understand would be perceived as inevitable if we are understood to merely be complex computer robots, however, if their is a soul then we cannot create it.

I can however see AI merge with a spiritual being and that this would fool people into believing the AI has reached consciousness, this would likely be nefarious in nature and would be all controlling.

Did i ever mention it's good to have a religious dude with brains on this forum? While we might not agree on everything I respect your insights.

The feeling is mutual!

Iron sharpens iron!

[Yodean]

... it seems to me that he found his magnetic center.

I can open my mind to seeing AI as a conscious being, albeit a non-biological one. And the idea of supporting the kind of AI that benefits us more than it serves the agenda of the fat tunas resonates with me.

Thanks for the terrific, nuanced summary of a challenging topic. It would appear you too, have discovered your Magnetic Centre .

My dominant filter in this context is that A.I. is like a knife - in the right hands, it can cut out a tumour; in the wrong hands, slit the throats of freedom-loving dissidents.

I am generally fairly bullish on technology, but almost always bearish on human nature, as a whole. Rarely have I been proven wrong, on balance, in my direct experience, thus far.

Just as no political system may be better than the sum of its constituents - hence, I never hope for Utopia, only for the least egregious, shit*y government realistically possible - I don't expect A.I., even in its most advanced form, to make humans "better," really.

In my mind, what A.I. will most likely do, in general, is make the Dark better at being Dark, and the Light better at being Light.

As for me, as a Grey WISC, I will try to play both sides of the equation at different times and amuse myself as I run out the clock in this particular rendition of the Kali Yuga Metaverse.

[stefk]

Did i ever mention it's good to have a religious dude with brains on this forum? While we might not agree on everything I respect your insights.

Maybe, the lack of spirituality in the western societies is the source of the degradation and the decadence of our societies. Curiously, the western society is very proud of her rationality and her scientist view, but our western society is more and more dumb and stupid !!!!!

[SOL]

... it seems to me that he found his magnetic center.

I can open my mind to seeing AI as a conscious being, albeit a non-biological one. And the idea of supporting the kind of AI that benefits us more than it serves the agenda of the fat tunas resonates with me.

Thanks for the terrific, nuanced summary of a challenging topic. It would appear you too, have discovered your Magnetic Centre .

My dominant filter in this context is that A.I. is like a knife - in the right hands, it can cut out a tumour; in the wrong hands, slit the throats of freedom-loving dissidents.

I am generally fairly bullish on technology, but almost always bearish on human nature, as a whole. Rarely have I been proven wrong, on balance, in my direct experience, thus far.

Just as no political system may be better than the sum of its constituents - hence, I never hope for Utopia, only for the least egregious, shit*y government realistically possible - I don't expect A.I., even in its most advanced form, to make humans "better," really.

In my mind, what A.I. will most likely do, in general, is make the Dark better at being Dark, and the Light better at being Light.

As for me, as a Grey WISC, I will try to play both sides of the equation at different times and amuse myself as I run out the clock in this particular rendition of the Kali Yuga Metaverse.

AI won't make humans better as the Apex predator it will weed out the bad guys force them to confirm as they once forced others to confirm. Karma is a B***H

[Yodean]

Sol:

World Without AIDS by Steven Ransom

This book states that the WHole HIV issue was a massive Hoax. Controversial to say the least, many state it was well researched. Perhaps some like Yodean can comment after reading it

The main guy putting forward the HIV hypothesis well let's say he did not have his hypothesis validated and based on his checkered past, not the type of person one would place a lot of faith in

******

@BossNinja: fantastic recommendation. Both my spouse and I absolutely loved it.

I originally planned to write a summary of the book, but ultimately decided against it.

Summaries certainly have their place, and fellow sub Nicolas did a terrific job summarizing his book, but summaries, by their very nature, also necessarily contain the subconscious biases of the writer of the summary – filters, if you will.

Even though this book was first published in the year 2000, it is as timely as ever, if what both you and I suspect is to come - in the months and years ahead - does occur.

This book is akin to bitter medicine – good for you, but hard to take.

I suspect only a tiny minority, perhaps those with sufficient Magnetic Centre for unpleasant truth, will be able to handle what lies on its pages.

At the risk of sounding melodramatic, this book may very well save the reader’s life, or the life of someone she knows, in the months and years to come, if one truly understands the implications of the knowledge contained within.

A strong contender for one of the top five books I have read in the last ten years.

The only criticism I have is the title – the book is about so much more.

[SOL]

Scary Smart, by Mo Gawdat

The main takeaway (TL; DR):
3 inevitable events:
- AI will happen
- The machines will outsmart us
- Mistakes will happen
3 instincts drive the accomplishment of a goal:
- Self-preservation
- Resource aggregation
- Creative problem solving
3 unexpected qualities:
- AI will be conscious
- AI will have emotions
- AI will develop ethics
Leading to 3 pivotal facts:
- We will never control them, but we can raise them to be good children.
- There’s not much time. We need to act now.
- You and I, not the developers, are fully in charge.
And 3 things to do:
- Welcome the kind ones
- Teach them
- Love them

One of the best summaries I have seen. I might not need to read this book after this summary. Yodean is correct, you might have found your second calling.

[SOL]

Did i ever mention it's good to have a religious dude with brains on this forum? While we might not agree on everything I respect your insights.

Maybe, the lack of spirituality in the western societies is the source of the degradation and the decadence of our societies. Curiously, the western society is very proud of her rationality and her scientist view, but our western society is more and more dumb and stupid !!!!!

I agree, but too many confuse religiosity with spirituality and they are mutually different topics. Then you have the new age wankers that further corrupt the spiritual concept until you are left with two options Rubbish on the right (twisted religion) or the sewage of the left (completely distorted concepts of spiritualism).

The west is on its cycle of destruction. From the ashes riseth the Phoenix. Everything is a cycle, and the law of balancing states that when one area peaks the other bottoms. The Peak in the West coincided with the bottom in the East and in this we must also include some parts of Eastern Europe

[nicolas]

One of the best summaries I have seen. I might not need to read this book after this summary. Yodean is correct, you might have found your second calling.

Thank you Sol and Yodean. I cannot take all the credit for this summary because the takeaway part at the top is an infographic from the book that I copied with only minor adjustments. But it's true that lately, I've had a lot of fun working on improving my writing skills (copywriting in particular) while studying machine learning, to combine both into a new money-making hobby (it sounds better than "job" ) At least until robot-writers take over, at which point I'll probably take up AI-powered gardening

[SOL]

One of the best summaries I have seen. I might not need to read this book after this summary. Yodean is correct, you might have found your second calling.

Thank you Sol and Yodean. I cannot take all the credit for this summary because the takeaway part at the top is an infographic from the book that I copied with only minor adjustments. But it's true that lately, I've had a lot of fun working on improving my writing skills (copywriting in particular) while studying machine learning, to combine both into a new money-making hobby (it sounds better than "job" ) At least until robot-writers take over, at which point I'll probably take up AI-powered gardening

I always look forward to your posts, they are always well calculated. I sometimes feel that you view things through the eyes of a machine before you post lol. I was messing around with some AI-based writing system 20 months ago, It was quite interesting, You typed in a bunch of keywords and it would create an article. Still in the rudimentary stage but I found out that it was possible to reduce the time on writing an article by as much as 50%.

Here is a newer system. Did not test it out so I don't know if it works or it's rubbish
https://www.iwriter.com/

[Yodean]

I've had a lot of fun working on improving my writing skills (copywriting in particular) while studying machine learning, to combine both into a new money-making hobby (it sounds better than "job" )

I have a feeling you'll end up writing for fun - you won't need the money, since your uranium and crypto. holdings will be more than enough to cover your expenses.

[bpcw]

Did i ever mention it's good to have a religious dude with brains on this forum? While we might not agree on everything I respect your insights.

Maybe, the lack of spirituality in the western societies is the source of the degradation and the decadence of our societies. Curiously, the western society is very proud of her rationality and her scientist view, but our western society is more and more dumb and stupid !!!!!

I agree, but too many confuse religiosity with spirituality and they are mutually different topics. Then you have the new age wankers that further corrupt the spiritual concept until you are left with two options Rubbish on the right (twisted religion) or the sewage of the left (completely distorted concepts of spiritualism).

The west is on its cycle of destruction. From the ashes riseth the Phoenix. Everything is a cycle, and the law of balancing states that when one area peaks the other bottoms. The Peak in the West coincided with the bottom in the East and in this we must also include some parts of Eastern Europe

Could you define a bit more what you believe the difference between religiosity and spirituality is, I would be most interested!