Product Description

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now advancing at such a rapid clip that it has the potential to transform our world in ways both exciting and disturbing. Computers have already been designed that are capable of driving cars, playing soccer, and finding and organising information on the Web in ways that no human could. With each new gain in processing power, will scientists soon be able to create supercomputers that can read a newspaper with understanding, or write a news story, or create novels, or even formulate laws. And if machine intelligence advances beyond human intelligence, will we need to start talking about a computer's intentions. These are some of the questions discussed by computer scientist J Storrs Hall in this fascinating layperson's guide to the latest developments in artificial intelligence. Drawing on a thirty-year career in artificial intelligence and computer science, Hall reviews the history of AI, discussing some of the major roadblocks that the field has recently overcome, and predicting the probable achievements in the near future. There is new excitement in the field over the amazing capabilities of the latest robots and renewed optimism that achieving human-level intelligence is a reachable goal. But what will this mean for society and the relations between technology and human beings? Soon ethical concerns will arise and programmers will need to begin thinking about the computer counterparts of moral codes and how ethical interactions between humans and their machines will eventually affect society as a whole. Weaving disparate threads together in an enlightening manner from cybernetics, computer science, psychology, philosophy of mind, neurophysiology, game theory, and economics, Hall provides an intriguing glimpse into the astonishing possibilities and dilemmas on the horizon.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28996 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 408 pages

Customer Reviews

Fantastic!
For too long, people have avoided the term Artificial Intelligence, ever since the first AI start-ups didnt keep to their promises.
Now, after a few hundred science fiction books have been written about AI, scientists can see the 'All-clear' signal, and have been working to get those early promises fulfilled. This book show's you what happens after AI is everyday. I just wish I could give more then 5 stars!

Thought-Provoking Overview
This is a fascinating book to read. It is very clearly written but at the same time does not talk down to the reader. It gives a thorough overview of the evolution of the AI field highlighting all the important points and more importantly also their implications. Best of all are the questions it inspires in the reader's mind.

Highly recommended.