The Sentient Machine: The Coming Age of Artificial Intelligence

By Amir Husain

We are already living in the future. Artificial intelligence is playing an even-greater role in society: from the 'weaponization' of software to the possibility of a post-antibiotic age. The Sentient Machine is the perfect guide to this brave new world.
Amir Husain outlines the history behind artificial intelligence from the creation myth of Frankenstein to the advances made by technology innovators such as Elon Musk. Amir Husain asks the essential question: what is the future for humanity in a world that is dominated by machines?
Will machines solve all human problems or will they lead us down a dystopian path to human irrelevance? Husain asks what will be the consequences - from job losses, our future, to the existential questions. How are we intelligent, what constitutes progress, how can AI bring us to "the good life"?
How can humans prevent ceding decisions to the network of autonomous systems that increasingly surround us?
One of the world's leading technologists looks at our future as we are on the cusp of a second Big Bang, when machines can think independently from us. Will the increasing role of artificial intelligence heal or harm our society?
In The Sentient Machine, Amir Husain addresses complex computer science concepts in plain language and illustrates his points drawing on a wide variety of cultural and historical references. This is an accessible guide to a fascinating subject.
A book that could be adopted onto computer science courses, and some philosophy courses.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Souvenir Press
• Release date: Apr 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9780285644120

Amir Husain

Amir Husain is an award-winning serial entrepreneur and inventor based in Austin, Texas. He serves on IBM’s Advisory Board for Watson & Cognitive Computing and is the Founder and CEO of SparkCognition, Inc., an award-winning company specializing in cognitive computing software solutions that help businesses and governments better respond to a world of ever-evolving threats. Husain speaks at numerous SXSW, defense, cybersecurity, computer science, energy, and environmental conferences. Amir and SparkCognition’s work has been featured in publications, such as Fast Company, Wired, Forbes, and The New York Times. The Sentient Machine is his first book.

Reviews for The Sentient Machine

[bookanonjeff · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great Overview Of Pervasive AI. This book is a love story to coding and its arguably most advanced manifestation - artificial intelligence. Husain spends quite a bit of time explaining what, exactly, AI is and its history, where we currently are, and where we will be in the near future. He then spends considerable time looking at various areas where AI research is already being done and where it is already having an impact. His praise of the idiot John Maynard Keynes is a bit too effusive, and is indicative of how wrong Husain's thinking can be when he leaves the programmatic space. While this is but one concrete example, there are numerous others too that are the basis of the drop of a star. Among these are his praise for National Security Agency spying as well as domestic police spying on every day citizens, disregard of Constitutional freedom protections, labeling anything he disagrees with as a "myth", and a few others. Still, quite a remarkable book when it sticks to its central thesis, and highly recommended.

[benkline · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An interesting look at AI, ANI, and AGI now (today - [as of 2017]) and future. Though not really in the sense that *WE* perceive AI to be. (Not robots, not terminator, not in this aspect.) More along the lines of integrated houses, technology in your FitBit's, and other such things. "The Internet of Things". While this wasn't exactly what I was anticipating when picking out the book, it still makes for an interesting and educational read.

Though most of it comes off as "scary what-if's" and what can be done TODAY and FUTURE with things that would have AI, Amir Husain spends the book spouting terror scenarios over and over - but going back to the standby line of "But don't let this stop us from doing it." Here's Scenario X that can go horribly wrong for us.... "but don't let this stop us from researching and innovating here".

Despite this being educational read, much of the book reads as a propaganda to the elites and scholars and politicians to not prevent more research and development and innovation in the field of AI. Particularly in regards to bans (banning AI research, development, banning the use of AI technology already afield, etc.)

While I agree with the 'no banning', his crux to it is the same as Prohibition, and he hammers it home ad nauseum. (Almost to the point of beating a dead horse with it.) "If you ban it, other 'darker, seedier' groups will research it. And then we'll be behind!" Which is more or less (and most likely) true, it just doesn't need to be affixed to the ending of every chapter and doesn't need to follow after every doomsday scenario given. Which is primarily what this book is. Introducing doomsday scenarios of technology/AI and then discussing how we can circumvent it, or create cybersecurity or use AI ourselves to defend ourselves..... and that's why we can't ban it!

All good points, but not exactly what I was anticipating with this book, and a bit of a hammer (sledgehammer) on the head type thing. Quick easy read though (clocking in at 185 pages pre-notes/index).

[davidwineberg · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Jetsons Meet Star TrekIt is easy to automate everything – in our minds. There are shelves of futuristic books extolling the wonderful era where we have nothing to say or do, except sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. The Sentient Machine is another one of these, focused on the coming wonders of artificial intelligence (AI).Our minds are too slow to react, our capacity is too small to comprehend, and the associations we make are too clouded and irrelevant for the specific task at hand. AI has none of these drawbacks, and can perform on our behalf far better than we can ourselves. Left to its own devices, AI systems can invent solutions, designs and processes that would never occur to us.But Amir Husain only seems to notice the upside. The better diagnostics, better performance, defense, security and efficiency. His wonderful world is one of total surveillance all the time. Every object is capable of sensing something the AI system can accept, store and interpret. Body functions, mood, antisocial behavior – will all be recorded and saved. Human judgment becomes irrelevant. The sky is cloudy with drones from every conceivable company, service and government, following people, sensing outlying behavior, delivering packages, doing research, looking for antisocial crimes, and watching other drones. Drones will be pocket sized to literally follow people, perhaps into the subway or into their apartments. Many will be armed. But Husain doesn’t go there. He’s thrilled with the potential for good from drones. And everything AI.The final few chapters are philosophical. Husain points out we don’t know what we don’t know, we might well adapt to the new world of AI with a whole different outlook. It might open up other things for us to do. In the mean time, people are worried about losing their careers, being unable to feed and house their families, and completely losing all quality of life to the superrich, a situation he says he doesn’t want to minimize. He even points out, I guess to show that humanity is unequal, that fewer than ten people have more wealth than the bottom half of humanity. So while AI is a wonderful development, watch your back.David Wineberg