Thinking With Machines

We are entering a brave new world, thanks to AI. We must shape this future to the advantage of everyone, and not just a select few. Thinking with Machines: The Brave New World of AI tells the story of AI from its very beginnings through the eyes of Vasant Dhar, currently Robert A Miller Professor at the Stern School of Business, and Professor of Data Science at New York University. Professor Dhar lived through the invention of AI algorithms and their various permutations until today. He brought AI to Wall Street in the 90s and was the first to teach AI at NYU Stern. Through his story and the lessons that it reveals, we learn about AI’s progress and reversals, its promises and dangers, and what we need to address before the machine gets away from us. Thinking with Machines is essential reading for AI enthusiasts and learners at all levels seeking knowledge on the greatest technological advancement of our time.

Foreword ix Preface: Ground Zero—ai at An Inflection Point xi Acknowledgments xix Introduction: The Paradigm Shifts in Ai xxi Chapter 1 Why Are You Asking Me That Question? Reasoning Machines 1 Chapter 2 Patterns Emerge Before Reasons for Them Become Apparent:the Shift to Machine Learning 13 Chapter 3 Prediction on Wall Street: Making Sense of Patterns 29 Chapter 4 The Edge: Compounding the Magic 47 Chapter 5 Newman in Control Of Von Neumann: From Brawn To Brain 61 Chapter 6 General Intelligence on Autopilot: The New Brain – Perceptive Machines 73 Chapter 7 Obsolete Humans: Sensing Machines 93 Chapter 8 Agents: Thinking Machines – the Damodaran Bot 113 Chapter 9 Truth: Additional Views Will Be Considered 137 Chapter 10 Trust: When Should We Trust the Ai? 157 Chapter 11 Governance: Will We Govern Ai or Will Ai Govern Us? 181 Appendix 209 Notes 223 Brave New World Podcast Episodes by Vasant Dhar: Chronological Episode Guide 231 Brave New World Podcast Episodes by Vasant Dhar: Episodes by Theme 235 Index 241