T-Minus AI

Humanity's Countdown to Artificial Intelligence and the New Pursuit of Global Power

De: Michael Kanaan

Narrado por: Braden Wright

"Mike Kanaan is an influential new voice in the field of AI, and his thoughts paint an insightful perspective. A thought-provoking read." Eric Schmidt, former CEO and executive chairman of Google

Late in 2017, the conversation about the global impact of artificial intelligence (AI) changed forever. China delivered a bold message when it released a national plan to dominate all aspects of AI across the planet. Within weeks, Russia's Vladimir Putin raised the stakes by declaring AI the future for all humankind, and proclaiming that, "Whoever becomes the leader in this sphere will become the ruler of the world."

The race was on. Consistent with their unique national agendas, countries throughout the world began plotting their paths and hurrying their pace. Now, not long after, the race has become a sprint.

Despite everything at risk, for most of us AI remains shrouded by a cloud of mystery and misunderstanding. Hidden behind complex technical terms and confused even further by extravagant depictions in science fiction, the realities of AI and its profound implications are hard to decipher, but no less crucial to understand.

In T-Minus AI: Humanity's Countdown to Artificial Intelligence and the New Pursuit of Global Power, author Michael Kanaan explains the realities of AI from a human-oriented perspective that's easy to comprehend. A recognized national expert and the U.S. Air Force's first Chairperson for Artificial Intelligence, Kanaan weaves a compelling new view on our history of innovation and technology to masterfully explain what each of us should know about modern computing, AI, and machine learning.

Kanaan also illuminates the global implications of AI by highlighting the cultural and national vulnerabilities already exposed and the pressing issues now squarely on the table. AI has already become China's all-purpose tool to impose authoritarian influence around the world. Russia, playing catch up, is weaponizing AI through its military systems and now infamous, aggressive efforts to disrupt democracy by whatever disinformation means possible.

America and like-minded nations are awakening to these new realities, and the paths they're electing to follow echo loudly, in most cases, the political foundations and moral imperatives upon which they were formed.

As we march toward a future far different than ever imagined, T-Minus AI is fascinating and critically well-timed. It leaves the fiction behind, paints the alarming implications of AI for what they actually are, and calls for unified action to protect fundamental human rights and dignities for all.

©2020 Michael Kanaan. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Published by arrangement with BenBella Books

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Too many discussions of artificial intelligence are dominated by idealists and cynics. Mike Kanaan is neither: He's a realist with a wealth of insight on how smart machines are shaping the future. This is one of the best books I've read on AI." (Adam Grant, New York Times best-selling author of Originals and Give and Take and host of the chart-topping TED podcast WorkLife)

“Kanaan’s book makes us aware of the urgent need for international understanding and a formal agreement on AI. Without binding commitments, the future will pose threats, both military and social, that risk our very survival. AI may be a blessing, but it can also be the ultimate curse. The world must agree to draw a red line between the two, and make sure that no one crosses it." (Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize winner, father of microfinance and social business, recipient of US Presidential Medal of Freedom and US Congressional Gold Medal)

Great Intro for ANYONE into AI

Valuable read for anyone seeking a baseline understanding, issues, and the potential of Artificial Intelligence. It’s slow to start for someone eager to jump, but the context provided is totally worth the time! Highly recommend!!

A good primer for those new to the subject

Pretty comprehensive view of the issues and state of the subject, so it's a good primer. But, if you've been paying attention to the topic, you won't find anything new here. It's just the basics.

For the uninformed.

I was really hoping that the author would delve more into the potential long-term AI involvement in our lives, and the quantum computing required to make it so.Too much time was spent on the basic knowledge of the development of the United States, basic mathematics, and naming off of many countries, and attributes AI effect’s. Seems like a lot of filler

You aren't going to learn much about AI here

Let's be honest, you aren't going to learn much about AI here. The book covers things like the big bang, various government histories, some sociology, and a little about computers and computing large numbers. There really isn't much about AI or machine learning beyond ones used for Chess and gaming. For a book revolving around AI, it's missing the AI part. I definitely walked away from this book thinking it was a waste of time.

In the beginning...

I’m still in the process of listening to the book, but I honestly could have done without the the author’s one-sided history lesson on evolution. I completely understand the intent, but don’t appreciate that it was completely from a science point of view. Are we not so dense to consider that a higher power gave us the tools to develop such artificial intelligence?

Fascinating background on AI - but what now?

Really enjoyed this book and Michael's insights. narrator alright. I get the threats but what's next? what should we do!?

An excellent and expansive introduction to one of the most important discussions of our time.

As the author explains, the US Department of Defense will be, for various reasons, at the forefront of governmental drives for the development of Artificial Intelligence, so it should come as no surprise to find such an excellent resource coming from one of the DoD’s foremost minds on the subject.

Aside from dwelling a bit too long for my preference on a cosmological history lesson (which serves a purpose, but could perhaps have been a bit briefer), I found this entire book to be an enjoyable, engaging, and very well-crafted exploration of myriad topics from human cognition to politics to linguistics to computer science, all woven together to build what I would consider a formidable introduction to the current discussion of Artificial Intelligence in the world.

This is indeed an inflection point which we face, and in part due to rapid developments and in part due to misunderstandings, the field of AI is little understood by the general population, despite its ubiquitous use in our daily life.

Enter Michael Kanaan, US Air Force Lead on AI and Machine Learning. In a manner reminiscent of Brian Greene or Malcolm Gladwell, this AI expert boils down a deep and complicated subject and successfully distilled the essence in a digestible fashion.

The picture which manifests is sufficiently clear that my oldest sons, aged 12 and 13, were able to keep up aptly with the content as we listened in the car. Sufficiently engaging was the content, too, as to keep their rapt attention, spur questions, and leave them asking to listen to more during subsequent drives.

Further testament to the author’s skill at rendering comprehensible such a complicated subject appeared when my oldest son asked for clarification of a matter. Despite my having talked with him about AI in various other contexts in the last, he wondered if he might have misunderstood the genre of the book, thinking its disconcerting revelations to perhaps be a matter of speculative fiction.

It surprised him how clear a picture of the situation he was getting of so vital a challenge in which we as a nation find ourselves. If the matter was so clear that a child could comprehend it in this fashion, why was it that so few others in this nation seemed concerned about our predicament?

This is, to some extent I believe, the type of reaction the author intended, and his ability to elicit it in a young teenager is a resounding success in my mind. Though clear and understandable, the material is no less important as a wake up call to a slumbering populace that may we’ll soon find itself trading away its way of life.

And, like the frightening conclusion of most post-apocalyptic scenarios triggered by a singularity event, it’s not the machine that we need most fear, but the humans wrongly wielding it.

I’m very glad to have added this book to my collection, and will consider it my new go-to primer on the subject of AI and Machine Learning.

Great book for non-techies

Book starts with a great explanation of the technical building blocks that enable AI. It addresses what AI is capable of and not capable of, dispelling many Sci-Fi visions of AI taking over the world. And then it moves into the relationship between AI and various cultural normalities and ethics. Thought provoking and a great for anyone in Tech, especially those on the business side.

Great Overview of History of AI & Curnt Challenges

Loved this book. It's a breeze to listen to. This book applies to all aspiring CS majors or self-taught programmer.

Excellent—very worthy of your time and attention!

If you know a lot about AI already, this book will help you explain it to others who don’t. If you’re completely new to the subject, this is a great introduction!