Overview

We live in an incredible period in history. The Computer Revolution may be even more life-changing than the Industrial Revolution. We can do things with computers that could never be done before, and computers can do things for us that could never be done before.But our love of computers should not cloud our thinking about their limitations.We are told that computers are smarter than humans and that data mining can identify previously unknown truths, or make discoveries that will revolutionise our lives. Our lives may well be changed, but not necessarily for the better. Computers are very good at discovering patterns, but are useless in judging whether the unearthed patterns are sensible because computers do not think the way humans think.We fear that super-intelligent machines will decide to protect themselves by enslaving or eliminating humans. But the real danger is not that computers are smarter than us, but that we think computers are smarter than us and, so, trust computers to make important decisions for us.The AI Delusion explains why we should not be intimidated into thinking that computers are infallible, that data-mining is knowledge discovery, and that black boxes should be trusted.

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9780198824305

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Reviews

Prof Smith delivers a strong defense of the scientific method - theory before data - and clearly demonstrates the limitations of 'AI' and 'Big Data'. - Chris Nelson, CFO Universal Studios Hollywood Data professionals and consumers can benefit from Smith's entertaining and accessible demonstration that more computing power and more data do not imply more intelligence. We need to have more confidence in our human intellect. Humans may have common sense and an appreciation of context. Computers uniformly have none. - Eric Engberg, Data Scientist and Software Engineer, Wells Fargo You won't need a degree in linear algebra or multivariate calculus to understand Gary Smith's The AI Delusion -- a no-nonsense look at the limitations of Big Data. - Andrew Sloves, Former Managing Director at JP Morgan Professor Gary Smith demonstrates why artificial intelligence doesn't live up to the hype. He uses a wide variety of real-world examples to illustrate the risks of taking humans out of the decision-making process. The book is required reading for all organizations that are looking to make critical decisions based solely on artificial intelligence. - Karl J. Meyer, Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

It is very easy to be swayed by the hype around the power of big data. This book helps people understand that human judgment is also crucial to understand the results. It should be required reading for new data scientists so that they can understand the limits and traps of data mining and false correlations. * Matt Thompson - Senior Vice President, Skyview Capital * With a healthy dose of statistics and anecdotes, Dr. Smith shows that the Big Data Emperor is not only naked, but unabashedly proud of it. Read this book before you find yourself diagnosed as having Malaria because you browsed a book on African History on Amazon. * Rob Moody - Managing Partner, Kiios, LLC * You won't need a degree in linear algebra or multivariate calculus to understand Gary Smith's The AI Delusion-a no-nonsense look at the limitations of Big Data. * Andrew Sloves - Former Managing Director, JP Morgan * Professor Gary Smith demonstrates why artificial intelligence doesn't live up to the hype. He uses a wide variety of real-world examples to illustrate the risks of taking humans out of the decision-making process. The book is required reading for all organizations that are looking to make critical decisions based solely on artificial intelligence. * Karl J. Meyer - Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers * Smith's deeply insightful book is just the antidote we need. His combination of lively writing, deep knowledge of computers and a sharp eye for hype is unmatched. Read this book and you will be ready for the decade ahead. * Hamilton W. Helmer - Managing Partner, Strategy Capital * This book has many examples of how human wisdom can combine with data to produce real insights when data alone lead astray. Next time you hear the marketing jargon Big Data chant back Big Data, Small Intelligence and pass out a copy of this book * Edward E. Leamer - Professor of Management, Economics and Statistics at UCLA * Professor Smith delivers a much needed warning on how artificial intelligence can actually make you, your company and your government less intelligent. Every CEO should read this book * Jeffrey Towson - Professor of Investment Peking University co-author of The I Hour China Book * Big Data is increasingly being used to make Big Decisions, and that's a Good Thing, as long as we keep aware of how things can Go Wrong, as Gary Smith explains in this Fun New Book * Andrew Gelman - Professor of Statistics and Political Science and Director of the Applied Statistics Center at Columbia University * ... mandatory reading for everyone in our society. A textbook for successfully navigating life in the computer age. * Craig Gregozeski - President/Portfolio Manager Squire Asset Management * Data professionals and consumers can benefit from Smith's entertaining and accessible demonstration that more computing power and more data do not imply more intelligence. We need to have more confidence in our human intellect. Humans may have common sense and an appreciation of context. Computers uniformly have none. * Eric Engberg - Data Scientist and Software Engineer, Wells Fargo * Prof Smith delivers a strong defense of the scientific method - theory before data - and clearly demonstrates the limitations of 'AI' and 'Big Data' * Chris Nelson - CFO Universal Studios Hollywood *

Author Information

Gary Smith is the Fletcher Jones Professor of Economics at Pomona College. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from Yale University and was an Assistant Professor there for seven years. He has won two teaching awards and written (or co-authored) more than eighty academic papers and twelve books including Standard Deviations: Flawed Assumptions, Tortured Data, and Other Ways to Lie With Statistics, What the Luck? The Surprising Role of Chance in Our Everyday Lives, and Money Machine: The Surprisingly Simple Power of Value Investing. His research has been featured by Bloomberg Radio Network, CNBC, The Brian Lehrer Show, Forbes, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Motley Fool, Newsweek, and BusinessWeek.

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