A Human's Guide to Machine Intelligence

Hosanagar examines how algorithms and artificial intelligence are beginning to manage every aspect of our lives, from what products we buy, to where we decide to eat, to what news we consume, and to how we find a job or a date.

Favorite quotes from the book:

But the biggest cause for concern, in my opinion, is not that algorithms have biases — humans do too, and on average, well-designed algorithms are less biased — but that we are more susceptible to biases in algorithms than in humans.

... many of us clearly do not have quite the freedom of choice that we believe we do. One reason is that products are often designed in ways that make us act impulsively and against our better judgment.

In this brave new world many of our choices are in fact predestined, and all the seemingly small effects that algorithms have on our decisions add up to a transformative impact on our lives. Because who we are, ultimately, is the sum total of the various decisions we make over a lifetime.

The results of algorithmic systems can be attributed to their underlying data, their mathematical logic, and the ways in which people interact with their decisions and suggestions.

Why do we trust algorithms in some cases, but not in others? And why do some of us trust them more than others?

As we outsource more of such activities to smart algorithms, it becomes ever more critical that we develop some very human tools — a set of rights, responsibilities, and regulations — to manage and even thrive through our technological innovations.

Where will we set boundaries when technology's limits aren't setting them for us?

“I don't think there are any games left. The next game is reality.”