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Faking It

Artificial Intelligence in a Human World
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( 129 ratings, 23 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Faking It by Toby Walsh delves into the intriguing world of artificial intelligence, exploring its impact on our lives and society. The author examines the ethical and philosophical questions surrounding AI, offering insights into whether machines can truly mimic human thought and emotion. Through a mix of personal stories and scientific analysis, the book invites readers to consider the future possibilities and challenges AI presents.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're curious about the impact of artificial intelligence on our world. It delves into the intricate ways AI reshapes society, exploring ethical dilemmas, technological advancements, and the potential future we might face. Perfect for readers fascinated by science, technology, and the nature of innovation.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Faking It offers a prescient analysis of what makes artificial intelligence so... artificial.

The brave new world of faking it...

Artificial intelligence is, as the name suggests, artificial and fundamentally different to human intelligence. Yet often the goal of AI is to fake human intelligence. This deceit has been there from the very beginning. We've been trying to fake it since Alan Turing answered the question 'Can machines think?' by proposing that machines pretend to be humans.

Now we are starting to build AI that truly deceives us. Powerful AIs such as ChatGPT can convince us they are intelligent and blur the distinction between what is real and what is simulated. In reality, they lack true understanding, sentience, and common sense. But this doesn't mean they can't change the world.

Can AI systems ever be creative? Can they be moral? What can we do to ensure they are not harmful? In this fun and fascinating book, Professor Toby Walsh explores all the ways AI fakes it, and what this means for humanityβ€”now and in the future.

'AI will be as big a game-changer as the smartphone and the personal computerβ€”or bigger! This book will help you navigate the revolution.' β€”Dr Karl Kruszelnicki

'Refreshingly clear-eyed ... Faking It is an insightful and intelligent book that's a must for those looking for facts about AI hype.' β€”Books+Publishing

'With a breezy style that confidently demystifies much about AI, Faking It equips readers to better discern and critique this disruptive technology that is likely to take over much of our lives.' β€”Nathan Smith, The Saturday Paper

'Faking It includes a whistlestop tour of AI history, providing a long list of grifts and false dawns, from the 1770 marvel, the Mechanical Turk, a chess-playing automaton secretly linked to a human player, to ELIZA, the 1967 natural language model that could hold a conversation to the level of tuned-out coworker.' β€”Kurt Johnson, The Age

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Faking It by Toby Walsh explores the implications and ethical concerns surrounding artificial intelligence and its ability to mimic human behaviour. Reviews often highlight the book's intriguing exploration of AI's potential impact on society and the moral questions it raises. Readers appreciate Walsh's engaging writing style and his ability to simplify complex ideas, though some mention a preference for more detailed scientific explanations.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760644826

Publisher: Black Inc.

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 10 October 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: La Trobe University Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 155.0mm

Height: 233.0mm

Weight: 360g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Toby Walsh is one of the world's leading researchers in Artificial Intelligence. He is a Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of New South Wales and leads a research group at Data61, Australia's Centre of Excellence for ICT Research. He has been elected a fellow of the Association for the Advancement of AI for his contributions to AI research, and has won the prestigious Humboldt research award. He has previously held research positions in England, Scotland, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland and Sweden.

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