Until recently, “artificial intelligence” sounded like something out of science fiction. But the technology of artificial intelligence, AI, is becoming increasingly common, from self-driving cars to e-commerce algorithms that seem to know what you want to buy before you do.
In the economy as well as in many aspects of daily life, artificial intelligence has become the transformative technology. Despite its current benefits and amazing potential, AI is little understood by the larger public. Some even fear it. It is not just the success of artificial intelligence that has grown, but also concerns that hidden technology will create a world of total lack of privacy and perhaps even pose a broad threat to humanity itself.
The authors, two experts at Brookings, discuss both the opportunities and risks posed by artificial intelligence in a highly readable way. How near-term policy decisions could determine whether the technology leads to utopia or dystopia is only of the many topics discussed in this book. A highly recommended read for anyone concerned about how artificial intelligence works and how to ensure its benefits outweigh its harm.
About the Authors
Darrell M. West is vice president and director of Governance Studies and holds the Douglas Dillon Chair. He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of TechTank. His current research focuses on artificial intelligence, robotics, and the future of work. West is also director of the John Hazen White Manufacturing Initiative. Prior to coming to Brookings, he was the John Hazen White Professor of Political Science and Public Policy and Director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy at Brown University.
John Rutherford Allen assumed the presidency of the Brookings Institution in November 2017, having most recently served as chair of security and strategy and a distinguished fellow in the Foreign Policy Program at Brookings. Allen is a retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general and former commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and U.S. Forces in Afghanistan.