Hello World

Being Human in the Age of Algorithms

By: Hannah Fry

Narrated by: Hannah Fry

Shortlisted for the 2018 Royal Society Investment Science Book Prize

A look inside the algorithms that are shaping our lives and the dilemmas they bring with them.

If you were accused of a crime, who would you rather decide your sentence - a mathematically consistent algorithm incapable of empathy or a compassionate human judge prone to bias and error? What if you want to buy a driverless car and must choose between one programmed to save as many lives as possible and another that prioritizes the lives of its own passengers? And would you agree to share your family’s full medical history if you were told that it would help researchers find a cure for cancer?

These are just some of the dilemmas that we are beginning to face as we approach the age of the algorithm, when it feels as if the machines reign supreme. Already, these lines of code are telling us what to watch, where to go, whom to date, and even whom to send to jail. But as we rely on algorithms to automate big, important decisions - in crime, justice, healthcare, transportation, and money - they raise questions about what we want our world to look like. What matters most: Helping doctors with diagnosis or preserving privacy? Protecting victims of crime or preventing innocent people being falsely accused?

Hello World takes us on a tour through the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of the algorithms that surround us on a daily basis. Mathematician Hannah Fry reveals their inner workings, showing us how algorithms are written and implemented, and demonstrates the ways in which human bias can literally be written into the code. By weaving in relatable, real world stories with accessible explanations of the underlying mathematics that power algorithms, Hello World helps us to determine their power, expose their limitations, and examine whether they really are improvement on the human systems they replace.

©2018 Hannah Fry (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Very well written and performed!

Fascinating information and insight into the ways that algorithms impact our lives. Hannah Fry touches both our hopes and fears, and shares her thinking on the future.

A wonderfully human-centric view on something that has a reputation of not being as much

Hannah does a fantastic job of introducing key concepts of the black box that machine learning and AI have started to become to humans. She does them with real-world examples, which makes all the good and bad considerations that much more relatable.

It’s a fantastic read/listen on a subject that frankly deserves more scrutiny due to the impact it has on our lives on a daily basis. Cheers!

Did an algorithm suggest you listen to this book?

This book is a fun yet informative book on the role played by algorithms in our lives, both present and future. It reveals that benefits and pitfalls of trusting algorithms. Hannah Fry has written a very engaging book, and shines as the Audible narrator too.

A Fantastic Intro to Machine Learning and AI

This was a fantastic and surprisingly relatable introduction to the world of machine learning and AI. The examples were great, the discussion was engaging, and the tone was quite inviting.

Remarkable and very informative

Excellent book designed to inform. I recommend to everyone who wishes to understand the technology of now and tomorrow.

Great Voice, Great Points, Great Thoughts.

Great voice and intonation, good arguments even against her own points. The book was good.

insight of algorithm ethic

i love this book， it showed me how different algorithm get to apply in reallife， and the ethic part of these usage. It's a great book for college student, get a good idea of how cs work around us

Made me think

Not the conclusion I expected but the one she leads you to convincingly. Great examples and thought provoking content

5/5 estrellas

“Because the future doesn’t just happen. We create it.”

Llegué al trabajo de Hannah Fry gracias a la recomendación de un amigo. Y vaya recomendación que resultó ser.

La autora logra darnos un vistazo dentro del mundo de los algoritmos que forman parte de nuestras vidas y todos los dilemas que éstos acarrean a su paso. Sin conocer de su existencia o su modo de operar, las líneas de código de dichos algoritmos nos dicen ya que debemos ver, a donde ir, con quien salir e incluso a quien mandar a la cárcel.

Hello World nos da un tour a través de lo bueno, lo malo y lo feo, mostrándonos como el poder que dichos algoritmos ejercen no esta exento de injusticias, preferencias y limitantes, abriendo nuestros ojos y generando preguntas de naturaleza ética respecto a su uso.
¿en realidad el beneficio que estos algoritmos nos brindan es tan alto que debemos tolerar los errores que puedan cometer? ¿Como mejorar un futuro que cada vez se encuentra mas cerca e inevitable?

El corazón de esta obra trata de la paradoja a la que nos vamos acercando como sociedad día con día: mientras mas sigamos apoyándonos en estos programas para tomar decisiones relevantes en temas como la justicia, la medicina, las artes, transportación y economía, mas queda de lado el factor humano que, si bien es imperfecto, no deja de ser necesario.

Esta lectura es todo lo que un libro que habla de tecnología debe ser: es conciso, directo, breve y convincente, con suficientes ejemplos y casos específicos para ayudar a todos sus lectores a empaparse en el tema.

Calificación perfecta
5/5 estrellas

Complex subject matter, beautifully handled.

This experience alone very well could've sold me on the idea of audiobooks. Admittedly, I've never taken a keen interest in reading. Whether it's physical, digital, or through an audiobook, I find myself struggling to sit through even the best stories after an hour or so. Hello World, however, captivated me for the entire length of the reading, in large part due to Hannah Fry's wonderful writing and enthusiastic narration.