Reviews
The Most Human Human: What Artificial Intelligence Teaches Us About Being Alive by Brian Christian
rstafford's review against another edition
5.0
This book is really excellent. Each chapter taught me something I wasn't aware of before, and encouraged me to think critically. I also appreciated the personal anecdotes and the enjoyable POV throughout the book.
bobbyknndy's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting read, but also a frustrating one. While each episode Christian explores is in itself interesting, they all seem like self-contained tangents and their relevance to each other and the overall intent of the author is often a mystery. The whole journey through the book, while again interesting at each turn, feels aimless and ends without any cumulative effect or design to it. There are great parts to it that I would love to refer back to but I have no idea where they are nor are there any signposts by which to find them.
snivets's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting generalizations and broad statements about humanity from someone with a delightfully huge appetite for curiosity. This book will entertain you if you like thinking about how you'd study for a year to pass as human, even more human than your neighbor. It does get a bit redundant towards the end, and could perhaps be shortened up a bit, but is still a delight to read.
blueskygreentreesyellowsun's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. The framework is that the author wants to win the Most Human Human award at the annual Loebner Prize, a competition that is actually focused on the AI community. In preparation for this event he decides to investigate what it actually means to be human, with his research, conversations, and introspections comprising the actual bulk of the book. This idea - what it means to be human - takes the reader on a free-ranging journey, so much so that at times I actually stopped to think, "Wait, what is this book about?" Once I remembered the overall subject matter, the topics would make sense in the book; even though the author talks about things that seem unrelated, they all fit nicely together in the context of how they make us human (or less-than-human, which is more interesting). By the final chapter I was getting a little impatient for the end, which the author actually discusses in general at one point. Overall, very enjoyable.
steven_weinstein's review against another edition
4.0
So good. Turing Test. Loebner Prize. Contest between natural language processing computers to see which can most often be mistaken for a human via five minutes instant messaging session. But author takes the other side and strives to be the human least often mistaken for a computer. To do so he studies vast range of subjects to glean what it is to be human and therefore present as human. Linguistics, philosophy, poetry, comp sci, entropy, Deep Blue...
treebe's review against another edition
4.0
You may be asking, "Why should I read a book about the Loebner prize, and what is that anyway?" If you aren't, I sure did. It just so happens to be a full scale Turing test, in which AI and humans go head to head to prove their humanity, or incidentally their lack of it, for the title of "most human computer" and "most human human". Why should you care? Some of these computers may be a contributing factor to the unemployment rate pretty soon.
The author, Brian Christian, and also a contender in the competition, attempts to not only win the title of "most human human" but intends to figure out exactly what constitutes being "human" in the first place — a pretty ambitious goal for a book in the 300 page range.
However, although the book is supposed to be about the author's attempts to become the "most human human", he goes heavily into detail about the nuts and bolts of AI, followed by chapters of pure philosophy, rather than the actual competition itself. Not to say it makes the story any less interesting, but I would have liked to read more about his experience during the actual tournament.
Nevertheless, it's well worth the read if you have any interest in artificial intelligence, or technology in general. Brian Christian did his fair share of research and is, quite obviously, more than willing to impart REAMS of knowledge to his readers. This essentially guarantees that, even if you wind up not appreciating this book for the underlying story, you can most likely walk away saying you've learned something.
The author, Brian Christian, and also a contender in the competition, attempts to not only win the title of "most human human" but intends to figure out exactly what constitutes being "human" in the first place — a pretty ambitious goal for a book in the 300 page range.
However, although the book is supposed to be about the author's attempts to become the "most human human", he goes heavily into detail about the nuts and bolts of AI, followed by chapters of pure philosophy, rather than the actual competition itself. Not to say it makes the story any less interesting, but I would have liked to read more about his experience during the actual tournament.
Nevertheless, it's well worth the read if you have any interest in artificial intelligence, or technology in general. Brian Christian did his fair share of research and is, quite obviously, more than willing to impart REAMS of knowledge to his readers. This essentially guarantees that, even if you wind up not appreciating this book for the underlying story, you can most likely walk away saying you've learned something.
saskiahill's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Brilliant, well written and fascinating exploration of humanity and AI through a number of lenses. Never thought I'd enjoy a chapter dedication to chess, but this book manages to make it interesting, and make you see things in a different light. Largely a very approachable, page-turner of a nonfiction book, I'll definitely be reading it again
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism
Note: several ableist slurs are used to illustrate the changing nature of language and what we deem acceptablekipkurui's review against another edition
3.0
This was an okay and a very informative book on AI and its history. However, I feel the writing could flow better. It took me ages to finish. The author mixes too many concepts from neuroscience, philosophy, computer science and poetry. It is a must-read on the topic but poorly written.
tbauman's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Review will come later but what a book. Only complaint is that he doesn't frame his observations in a story, so there's sometimes a so-what quality to some of the chapters
ichabodreads's review against another edition
4.0
Was sometimes confused by the structure of the writing. Some parts were broken up in longer sections, some only a couple of paragraphs long, and there wasn't always a clear transition between the two.
Overall though it was an entertaining, thought provoking book and challenged be to think about how I communicate with those around me and the world at large. It also provided me with a new life goal: compete for the most human human award!
Overall though it was an entertaining, thought provoking book and challenged be to think about how I communicate with those around me and the world at large. It also provided me with a new life goal: compete for the most human human award!