Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Visionary designer and technologist John Maeda defines the fundamental laws of how computers think, and why you should care even if you aren't a programmer.
"Maeda is to design what Warren Buffett is to finance." --Wired
John Maeda is one of the world's preeminent interdisciplinary thinkers on technology and design. In How to Speak Machine, he offers a set of simple laws that govern not only the computers of today, but the unimaginable machines of the future.
Technology is already more powerful than we can comprehend, and getting more powerful at an exponential pace. Once set in motion, algorithms never tire. And when a program's size, speed, and tirelessness combine with its ability to learn and transform itself, the outcome can be unpredictable and dangerous. Take the seemingly instant transformation of Microsoft's chatbot Tay into a hate-spewing racist, or how crime-predicting algorithms reinforce racial bias.
How to Speak Machine provides a coherent framework for today's product designers, business leaders, and policymakers to grasp this brave new world. Drawing on his wide-ranging experience from engineering to computer science to design, Maeda shows how businesses and individuals can identify opportunities afforded by technology to make world-changing and inclusive products--while avoiding the pitfalls inherent to the medium.
Synopsis
A simple, enduring framework for understanding the complex world of AI and machine learning. "Before you can get machines to do what you want, you'd better learn to speak their language. John Maeda engineers rapprochement between humans and our computational creations in this engaging, enlightening book."
--Douglas Rushkoff, author of Team Human
As the capabilities of AI and language models like ChatGPT continue to advance, it is more important than ever to understand the implications and potential pitfalls of these technologies.
In this book, John Maeda draws on his extensive experience as one of the world's preeminent interdisciplinary thinkers on technology and design to provide actionable guidance for businesses, product designers, and policymakers.
Using thoughtful explorations and occasionally whimsical examples, he identifies a framework that describes the key capabilities and pitfalls of any machine learning system, and offers a vision for how they can be used to create inclusive and world-changing products.
This is essential reading for anyone seeking a high-level understanding of how machines "think" and what the future may hold.