The world has been observing the rapid progress that artificial intelligence has been making in the past couple of years. As a matter of fact, after the pandemic, the world is also witnessing an accelerated adoption of AI. However, as this is happening, people find it difficult to comprehend what all this means and how it will affect them.

With that being said, it is important for people to be aware of some of the implications of the adoption or the progresses made in the field of AI. And, since it is inevitable, it is also important to know the various ways in which AI could be used to their advantage responsibly and inclusively. Books are a perfect way of educating people on such subjects, and many books published in 2020 did serve this purpose.

In this article, Analytics India Magazine collated some of the best books on AI that were published this year.

A World Without Work: Technology, Automation and How We Should Respond

The fear of workers being replaced due to automation has always been present. However, this book demonstrates that this time it is different as more and more tasks are looking beyond the capability of computers and are getting automated. However, the author Daniel Susskind, argues that this is not necessarily a bad thing as long as the resulting prosperity that the technology will bring is equitably distributed, and everyone finds a meaning to live by. 

Find the book from here. 

The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity

This book, written by Jason Thacker, helps us understand some of the social, moral, and ethical challenges that are a result of humans’ interaction with AI. Thacker explains how AI affects us individually, in our relationships, and the society at large. It further talks about how AI has an impact on our bodies, sexuality, work, economics, and privacy.

Find the book from here.

The Alignment Problem: Machine Learning and Human Values

When the systems we teach do not behave or work the way we want them to, it is called an alignment problem. The book, by Brian Christian, tries to explore everything that can go wrong when we build an AI system. The author argues that whether we succeed or fail in solving the alignment problem ‘will be a defining human story’. The book also introduces us to ‘first responders’ who might help address this issue.

Find the book from here.

The AI Book: The Artificial Intelligence Handbook for Investors, Entrepreneurs and FinTech

This book has been curated by two prominent thought leaders in the global fintech space, Susan Chishti and Karan Jain. The book explains the significance of AI and how it could be used across financial services. It explains the several forms that AI takes, how it is being used currently in the sector and the future state of financial services.

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Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World

Analysing how the coronavirus crisis compelled organisations to transform themselves and reinvent the firms using data, analytics, and AI, this book explains how AI-driven processes are much more scalable than traditional methods. Based on the research of hundreds of firms, this book can help enterprise leaders rethink how they operate their business in the age of AI.

Find the book from here.

T-minus AI

Many national leaders and governments have announced strategies and investments in AI, predicting the significance of this technology in the future of geopolitics. Written by Michael Kanaan, the U.S. Air Force’s first Chairperson for AI, this book dives into the global implications of AI, how it has exposed some of the national vulnerabilities, and the current pressing global issues it presents. 

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How to grow a robot – Developing Human–Friendly, Social AI 

As robots become more and more a part of our daily lives, Mark Lee introduces us to the idea of making these robots less mechanical and more social. He explores how robots can be more human-like, friendly, and engaging. After describing, ‘what is wrong with robots, Lee presents a different approach to building human-like robots.

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The Reasonable Robot: Artificial Intelligence and the Law

This book explains the rapidly evolving relationship between the AI and the law. It argues that law should not discriminate between AI and human behaviour and proposes a new legal principle that will ultimately improve human well-being. The book explains what challenges AI poses in different areas of the law and what legal principles can unleash AI’s full potential for human progress.

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How To Talk To Robots: A Girls’ Guide To a Future Dominated by AI

This book is a ‘girl’s guide’ to AI. Tabitha Goldstaub, the author of the book, discusses the various biases introduced by AI systems that define behavioural patterns. At the same time, she discusses the potential benefits that AI can offer. In conversation with Karen Hao, she demonstrates how AI works in our day to day life. The book also has interviews with women who use AI in their workday.

Find the book from here.

The Road to Conscious Machines: The Story of AI

As the world worries about a dystopian future with intelligent robots taking over, the author of this book tries to change this prevailing narrative on the subject. He reveals how such overhyped anxieties are distracting us from more immediate threats of AI like algorithmic biases and fake news and stopping us from the tapping into the true life-changing potential the field can bring. 
Find the book from here.