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Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence by Kate Crawford
deep_reader's review against another edition
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
5.0
An excellent, stunningly insightful and very clear analysis if the very worldly and material interests and foundations of the protagonists of AI. Again humans extracting, colonizing and earning for their good. Lecturing the public about their genius and entrepreneurship when it's actually about exploiting society and the common wealth for their own good, stealing from taxpayers and state investments. I would want a follow-up. What can we as societies do against this?
savvystory's review against another edition
5.0
I read this for “something that scares you” for Seattle Public Library’s Book Bingo. Well, now, I’m terrified but at least the fears are more informed.
The author makes the point that when we’re afraid of what AI itself will do (like, Oh no robots will take over!), we’re engaging in technological determinism. We’re seeing AI as a separate entity inflicting itself upon humans. When really, AI is a reflection of all the human systems that construct it, which are exploitative, racist, and about state/police overreach and surveillance. She shows how neoliberalism has driven the narrative that there is inherent good in furthering AI, collecting as much data as possible, doing whatever it takes to train it. Kind of like manifest destiny of the tech era. We should be asking Why we would use it for this or that, and who it impacts.
The solution, she says, is solidarity between labor, social justice, climate and data privacy movements.
The author makes the point that when we’re afraid of what AI itself will do (like, Oh no robots will take over!), we’re engaging in technological determinism. We’re seeing AI as a separate entity inflicting itself upon humans. When really, AI is a reflection of all the human systems that construct it, which are exploitative, racist, and about state/police overreach and surveillance. She shows how neoliberalism has driven the narrative that there is inherent good in furthering AI, collecting as much data as possible, doing whatever it takes to train it. Kind of like manifest destiny of the tech era. We should be asking Why we would use it for this or that, and who it impacts.
The solution, she says, is solidarity between labor, social justice, climate and data privacy movements.
my_tangled_hair's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
bauke's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Not quite what I had expected. The book is only about ecological and geographical aspects of AI for one or two chapters, and otherwise goes into broader political issues around AI such as emotion and facial recognition systems, power and categorisation. This was nevertheless very interesting, and I think a good accessible overview of many of the important issues around AI.
There was a surprising degree of overlap with a book on the history of clocks I listened to earlier this year, but this book reflected much more on the political contentious issues surrounding technology.
There was a surprising degree of overlap with a book on the history of clocks I listened to earlier this year, but this book reflected much more on the political contentious issues surrounding technology.
kristianawithak's review against another edition
5.0
ATLAST OF AI is a nonfiction horror on artificial intelligence, from the batteries required to make our hybrids to the people behind our automated services making our machines look smart and being required to do worse labor. This book is eye opening, educational, and thought provoking.