Artificial Intelligence

June 1, 2024

Gr 5 Up-This title outlines the topic from the birth of the term artificial intelligence (AI) in 1955 to business giants discussing privacy, usage, and protective measures with the government in 2023. Eye-catching graphics and images introduce readers to mind-blowing points about AI's technology time line spanning 82 years and crucial developments throughout history. Alan Turing built a chess-playing computing machine and a conversing computer and is considered the father of artificial intelligence. The author uses charts to compare concerns with AI and the excitement for the uses of this relatively new tool at citizens' fingertips. Readers' curiosity will grow as they learn about coding language, such as Bard, deep learning, and deepfakes. The book discusses how AI is already being used in several industries. Medical professionals use equipment and process patient records for more efficient treatments and diagnosis. Military drones contain extraordinary capabilities enhancing wartime strategies. Businesses are looking for ways to streamline their production in warehouses, upscale marketing content, and provide next-level customer services, which increases their overall profitability. This book also considers the dilemmas that artists and other individuals whose careers and livelihood are based on their original works and intellectual property face. Allen introduces readers to myriad examples, research, and thoughts to ponder in an easy-to-follow text. VERDICT Middle and high schoolers will be fascinated by this technology and intrigued by its present and future. Any accomplished nonfiction collection needs this resource.-Tanya Haynes

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January 15, 2024
A quick overview of the current state and uses of machine intelligence. Despite Allen's backloading this brief work with endnotes and outsized resource lists, he doesn't delve very deeply into his subject. Readers curious about what constitutes "intelligence," the implications of the upcoming "technological singularity," or even the future of smart medical implants, for example, should look elsewhere. Still, while presenting recent examples of AI-produced legal and historical documents that were rife with errors, and properly noting that smart homes are eminently hackable, he addresses privacy concerns as well as making good arguments for being cautious about relying on data-mining chatbots and similar aids for either security or (say) school assignments. Also, though he offers reassuring quotes from experts for balance, his observations about current and future uses of AI in homes, businesses, medicine, and the military include more than enough reasons for anxiety about near-future workplace losses and changes. Despite probably having a short shelf life (since it covers such a fast-changing technological field), this survey includes references to events up to mid-2023. The illustrations are largely filler. Superficial but of some use for background reading and (ideally original) school reports. (image credits, timeline, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

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