AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What It Can't, and How to Tell the Difference

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Product Details
Price
$24.95  $23.20
Publisher
Princeton University Press
Publish Date
Pages
360
Dimensions
5.7 X 8.6 X 1.5 inches | 1.4 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9780691249131

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About the Author
Arvind Narayanan is professor of computer science at Princeton University and director of its Center for Information Technology Policy. He is the coauthor of Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies (Princeton) and Fairness and Machine Learning. Sayash Kapoor is a PhD candidate in computer science at Princeton. He previously worked as a software engineer at Facebook, where he helped create AI for content moderation. To learn more, please visit AISnakeOil.com.
Reviews
"The authors admirably differentiate fact from opinion, draw from personal experience, give sensible reasons for their views (including copious references), and don't hesitate to call for action. . . . If you're curious about AI or deciding how to implement it, AI Snake Oil offers clear writing and level-headed thinking."---Jean Gazis, PracticalEcommerce
"As artificial intelligence proliferates, more and more hinges on our ability to articulate our own value. We seem to be on the cusp of a world in which workers of all kinds--teachers, doctors, writers, photographers, lawyers, coders, clerks, and more--will be replaced with, or to some degree sidelined by, their A.I. equivalents. What will get left out when A.I. steps in? . . . . [Narayanan and Kapoor] approach the question on a practical level. They urge skepticism, and argue that the blanket term "A.I." can serve as a kind of smoke screen for underperforming technologies. . . . [AI Snake Oil isn't] just describing A.I., which continues to evolve, but characterizing the human condition."---Joshua Rothman, New Yorker
"The first step to understanding AI better is coming to terms with the vagueness of the term. . . . AI Snake Oil divides artificial intelligence into two subcategories: predictive AI, which uses data to assess future outcomes; and generative AI, which crafts probable answers to prompts based on past data. It's worth it for anyone who encounters AI tools, willingly or not, to spend at least a little time trying to better grasp key concepts."---Reece Rogers, WIRED
"[A] solid overview of AI's defects."-- "Publishers Weekly"
"The experienced authors bring a wealth of knowledge to their subject. . . . Written in language that even nontechnical readers can understand, the text provides plenty of practical suggestions that can benefit creators and users alike. It's also worth noting that Narayanan and Kapoor write a regular newsletter to update their points. Highly useful advice for those who work with or are affected by AI--i.e., nearly everyone."-- "Kirkus, starred review"
"AI Snake Oil . . . [is] well-informed, clear and persuasive - the cool breeze of knowledge and good sense are a good antidote to anybody inclined to believe the hyped claims and fears."---Diane Coyle, The Enlightened Economist
"A worthwhile read whether you make policy decisions, use AI in the workplace or just spend time searching online. It's a powerful reminder of how AI has already infiltrated our lives -- and a convincing plea to take care in how we interact with it."---Elizabeth Quill, Science News