Our Final Invention

In Our Final Invention, James Barrat delves into the thrilling and alarming future of artificial intelligence. With the ever-accelerating advancements in AI technologies, Barrat poses critical questions about our ability to coexist with sentient machines whose cognitive abilities far surpass our own. This captivating book explores the race to achieve human-level intelligence in machines, and the potentially dire consequences that follow.

"I wish it was science fiction, but I know it's not." - Jaan Tallinn, co-founder of Skype

Combining meticulous research with a gripping narrative, Barrat lays bare the ethical dilemmas and potential perils of advanced AI. The author warns that as AI systems evolve, they might develop survival instincts similar to humans. This new breed of intelligence could become our most formidable competitor, blending cunning and power in ways we can hardly imagine.

"If you read just one book that makes you confront scary high-tech realities that we'll soon have no choice but to address, make it this one." - Washington Post

Originally published a decade ago, Our Final Invention was astoundingly prescient about the AI revolution currently transforming our society. Now, with an urgent new preface, Barrat reflects on the journey so far and emphasises the need for caution and thorough regulation in artificial intelligence research.

"The best book yet written on the most important problem of the twenty-first century." - Luke Muehlhauser, Executive Director, Machine Intelligence Research Institute

Throughout the book, Barrat provides a thought-provoking analysis of AI’s potential to surpass human intelligence and the existential risks that come with it. He documents the vast investments by corporations and governments striving to create AI with human-like abilities, while questioning whether these entities fully understand or prepare for the outcomes of their success.

"Science fiction has long explored the implications of humanlike machines, but Barrat's thoughtful treatment adds a dose of reality." - Science News

Corporations and government agencies around the world have for years been pouring billions into achieving AI’s Holy Grail – human-level intelligence.

As readers navigate this fascinating and often frightening territory, they are prompted to consider the profound implications of AI on ethics, society, and the future of human civilisation. Our Final Invention challenges us to ponder whether a harmonious coexistence with superintelligent machines is possible, or if we are inevitably paving the way for our own obsolescence.

Until now, human intelligence has had no rival. Can we coexist with beings whose intelligence dwarfs our own? And will they allow us to?