100 books like AI

OK, I’m biased here because Rob is an old friend of mine. We first met at academic conferences and had several heated debates (arguments). But after spending a little time together at a workshop we realised each probably knew what they were talking about after all. Robert Elliott Smith, I should make clear it's not the Rob Smith who writes about “Artificial Superintelligence”. Those books definitely do not make this list.

Our Rob is a coherent, grounded scientist with bags of real-world experience, and he brings his knowledge to this title with gusto, telling us about how AI is affecting our lives in ways you never thought possible – and often not in a good way. If you want to understand what can go wrong with AI and what we should be doing to stop it, don’t read about singularities or other such nonsense, read this.

I’ve not met Harry, but he seems to have a logical and sensible head on his shoulders. His writing is considered and grounded, which is exactly what you need when discussing the hype that forever seems to surround AI. This book is another look at this topic and finds yet more ways to explain to readers the difference between human intelligence and our algorithmic attempts at intelligence – which are frequently pretty stupid.

When I’m not developing AI methods (or writing about them) I read. Most of what I read is science fiction. There’s nothing more imaginative than a good science fiction book, and many science fiction stories have inspired us to develop whole new technologies. This one probably won’t do that, but it has such a bizarre mind-bending world that I couldn’t resist recommending it. Niven is great at this kind of thing – the Ringworld books were a favourite of mine as a kid, and frankly, I could recommend another 30 of his books. But Integral Trees is entertaining, a little bizarre, and it even has diagrams to illustrate the underlying concepts at the start – what more could you ask for in a science fiction book?

This is another break from AI, and it’s another bizarre world. Why do computer scientists like this kind of thing? I think it’s because we invent mind-bending mathematical worlds in which our algorithms live – we like to explore the strange and weird. When reading this book, at first you wonder if this is science fiction at all – the story seems fantastical. But check out the Appendix and there’s the scientific explanation, complete with equations for the weird laws of physics. Now, this is a proper hard science fiction book… somehow disguised almost as a fairy tale. A lovely read and the ending is suitably in keeping with the rest of the story… Unexpected.

What is creativity, and what makes it possible? If a new idea came from nothing, would it be magic? If a new idea were generated by recombining old ones, would it really be “creative”? In this book, Margaret Boden, a distinguished philosopher of science, thinks through what creativity really is, whether it takes the form of a world-altering advance in science or a novel jazz improvisation. To help understand human creativity, the book compares it to the workings of computer programs—ones capable of generating art or music that at least appears creative. Readers who have followed more recent developments in artificial intelligence will be able to consider for themselves whether machine creativity is, or could be, a reality. The book helped me think about what it means to create an “authentic” poem.

I absolutely love Nick Bostrom's book because it dives deep into the fascinating yet daunting future of artificial intelligence, a topic that resonates with my own work. Bostrom's exploration of how superintelligent AI could emerge and the profound risks it poses is both thought-provoking and essential reading for anyone curious about technology's trajectory.

His insights on the challenges of control and alignment really struck a chord with me, as they highlight the importance of designing AI systems that prioritize human values. This book not only raises critical questions but also inspires a sense of urgency to navigate the future responsibly, making it a personal favorite and a vital resource for anyone interested in the intersection of AI and ethics.

I think computers don’t think, and this book taught me how to think about that. I admire it in part because it showed me, a professor of philosophy, how to do scientifically informed philosophy. Unlike so many books on the history of thinking about thinking, just the first chapter of this book is clear, accurate, insightful, and exciting. Equally so is Haugeland’s explanation of what a computer is, making an intellectual adventure of theoretical computer science.

Haugeland uses this to make a compelling case for thinking that computers could genuinely reason. And then he does something that we philosophers tend to love; he launches a provocative critique of that claim, contending that computers can’t think because they don’t “give a damn.” Although it’s now three decades old, this is the book to read if you’re curious about artificial intelligence. 

AI will dramatically affect our lives in diverse ways, and this book is a superb guide to the key issues and ways that this might occur.

A main strength of the book is the exploration of a diverse range of possible futures without being unreasonably committed to one particular possibility. No one knows exactly what the future holds, so it is wise to consider different scenarios to open up our imaginations and challenge hidden assumptions.

Having depth as well as breadth, it’s a great, wide-ranging analysis of how AI will affect humanity. 

This science fiction novel always appealed to me because of its conceit that a society’s games are a reflection of its culture, ethos, and philosophy. Azad, the game at the heart of the book, is used by the Empire to determine the political, social, and economic structure of the whole planet. The prize for winning is to become emperor and to implement your strategy in real life.

I love the description of the game. It’s played on three huge boards that are more like landscapes than regular playing boards. Perhaps one might regard all the games that we have created and played on this planet collectively as Earth’s version of Azad.

I can appreciate an author who can inject humor into a story that is not traditionally a comedy. In Mind Bullet, we follow the life of an assassin who has the ability to kill with his mind and his artificial intelligence sidekick Bubbles (who frequently asks for a name change throughout the book). Make no mistake, there is plenty of fast-paced, action-packed scenes as Jonas tries to stay one step ahead of the ninjas (yes ninjas!) in between the funny appearances of Bubbles. The mixture of danger and humor is all-consuming as you go along for the ride. This story had me laughing while sitting on the edge of my seat.