Best of
Futurism
2019
New Thinking: From Einstein to Artificial Intelligence, the Science and Technology that Transformed Our World
Dagogo Altraide - 2019
Now, more than ever, it’s important to see how we got here. What hidden stories lie behind much of the technology we use today? What drove those who invented it to do so? What were those special moments that changed the world forever? New Thinking is the story of human innovation, the story of us―through war and peace, it is humanity at our most innovative.Disruptive technology and innovation: From the stories behind the steam engine revolution to the electric world of Tesla, to the first computers, to the invention of the internet and artificial intelligence, this book explores the hidden history of technology, discovering the secrets that have shaped our world. New Thinking brings you the stories of the men and women who thought in a new way to bring our world to where it is today.In New Thinking: The Technology and Science That Transformed Our World you will delight in learning and appreciating:
How a technology can spawn a new technology, and how they influence each other
How our modern world came to be
Our incredible modern world and potential for the future
If you've read books such as The Third Industrial Revolution, They Made America, or How We Got to Now, you're going to love New Thinking
The Case for Space: How the Revolution in Spaceflight Opens Up a Future of Limitless Possibility
Robert Zubrin - 2019
But this one is not between rival superpowers but competing entrepreneurs. And these daring pioneers are creating a revolution in spaceflight that promises to transform the near future. Noted astronomical engineer Robert Zubrin spells out the exciting potentials of these new developments in an engrossing narrative that is both visionary and yet grounded by a deep understanding of the practical challenges.Fueled by the combined expertise of the old aerospace industry and the talents of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, spaceflight is becoming cheaper and cheaper. The new generation of space explorers has already achieved a breakthrough in the reusable rocket. Starting with this major achievement, Zubrin foresees rapid innovation, including global travel from any point on Earth to another in an hour or less, orbital hotels, moon-bases with incredible space observatories, and human settlements on other planets of the solar system.Based on decades of research into the technology of space travel, the author shows how projects that sound like science fiction can actually become reality. But beyond the how, he makes an even more compelling case for why we need to do this--to increase our knowledge of the universe, to make unforeseen discoveries on new frontiers, to harness the natural resources of other planets, to safeguard the Earth from stray asteroids, to ensure the future of humanity by expanding beyond its home base, and to protect us from being catastrophically set against each other by the false belief that there isn't enough for all.
The Ethical Algorithm: The Science of Socially Aware Algorithm Design
Michael Kearns - 2019
Algorithms have made our lives more efficient, more entertaining, and, sometimes, better informed. At the same time, complex algorithms are increasingly violating the basic rights of individual citizens. Allegedly anonymized datasets routinely leak our most sensitive personal information; statistical models for everything from mortgages to college admissions reflect racial and gender bias. Meanwhile, users manipulate algorithms to "game" search engines, spam filters, online reviewing services, and navigation apps.Understanding and improving the science behind the algorithms that run our lives is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing issues of this century. Traditional fixes, such as laws, regulations and watchdog groups, have proven woefully inadequate. Reporting from the cutting edge of scientific research, The Ethical Algorithm offers a new approach: a set of principled solutions based on the emerging and exciting science of socially aware algorithm design. Michael Kearns and Aaron Roth explain how we can better embed human principles into machine code - without halting the advance of data-driven scientific exploration. Weaving together innovative research with stories of citizens, scientists, and activists on the front lines, The Ethical Algorithm offers a compelling vision for a future, one in which we can better protect humans from the unintended impacts of algorithms while continuing to inspire wondrous advances in technology.
The Technology Trap: Capital, Labor, and Power in the Age of Automation
Carl Benedikt Frey - 2019
As Carl Benedikt Frey shows, the Industrial Revolution created unprecedented wealth and prosperity over the long run, but the immediate consequences of mechanization were devastating for large swaths of the population. Middle-income jobs withered, wages stagnated, the labor share of income fell, profits surged, and economic inequality skyrocketed. These trends, Frey documents, broadly mirror those in our current age of automation, which began with the Computer Revolution.Just as the Industrial Revolution eventually brought about extraordinary benefits for society, artificial intelligence systems have the potential to do the same. But Frey argues that this depends on how the short term is managed. In the nineteenth century, workers violently expressed their concerns over machines taking their jobs. The Luddite uprisings joined a long wave of machinery riots that swept across Europe and China. Today’s despairing middle class has not resorted to physical force, but their frustration has led to rising populism and the increasing fragmentation of society. As middle-class jobs continue to come under pressure, there’s no assurance that positive attitudes to technology will persist.The Industrial Revolution was a defining moment in history, but few grasped its enormous consequences at the time. The Technology Trap demonstrates that in the midst of another technological revolution, the lessons of the past can help us to more effectively face the present.
Talk to Me: How Voice Computing Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Think
James Vlahos - 2019
They know that whoever successfully creates it will revolutionize our relationship with technology—and make billions of dollars in the process. They call it conversational AI. Computers that can speak and think like humans may seem like the stuff of science fiction, but they are rapidly moving toward reality. In Talk to Me, veteran tech journalist James Vlahos meets the researchers at Amazon, Google, and Apple who are leading the way. He explores how voice tech will transform every sector of society: handing untold new powers to businesses, overturning traditional notions of privacy, upending how we access information, and fundamentally altering the way we understand human consciousness. And he even tries to understand the significance of the voice-computing revolution first-hand — by building a chatbot version of his terminally ill father. Vlahos’s research leads him to one fundamental question: What happens when our computers become as articulate, compassionate, and creative as we are?
Fragnemt
ctrlcreep - 2019
The collected short stories and selected microfiction of the elusive CTRLCREEP, a being of unknown origin and mysterious intent. Will you brave the paradox and madness contained herein for a chance to glimpse the incomprehensible poetry of the stars? Purchase these writings, and learn what it is to be lost anew in a fractal world of worlds! Angels, androids, AI, gods. From sexbots to suicide booths, we thread a path through wonder: coral super-computers, drones, galaxies as libraries and spines. The cosmos vibrates with beauty and horror, and there is so much to explore. Over 40 stories. An almanac for alternate realities.
Philosophical Posthumanism (Theory in the New Humanities)
Francesca Ferrando - 2019
At a time of radical bio-technological developments, and in light of the political and environmental imperatives of our age, the term 'posthuman' provides an alternative. The philosophical landscape which has developed as a response to the crisis of the human, includes several movements, such as: Posthumanism, Transhumanism, Antihumanism and Object Oriented Ontology. This book explains the similarities and differences between these currents and offers a detailed examination of a number of topics that fall under the “posthuman” umbrella, including the anthropocene, artificial intelligence and the deconstruction of the human. Francesca Ferrando affords particular focus to Philosophical Posthumanism, defined as a philosophy of mediation which addresses the meaning of humanity not in separation, but in relation to technology and ecology. The posthuman shift thus emerges in the global call for social change, responsible science and multispecies coexistence.
Digital Marketing in an AI World: Futureproofing Your PPC Agency
Frederick Vallaeys - 2019
But if you’re a PPC professional, there’s no need to panic; the sky isn’t falling. Former Google AdWords evangelist Frederick Vallaeys understands what’s coming next, and with his expert guidance you’ll not only survive, but you’ll also thrive in tomorrow’s AI world. In this invaluable volume, you’ll learn: · What AI and other digital marketing technology can and cannot do · How agency owners can reposition their business in the current environment · New skillsets to develop or look for in potential new hires · Four essential roles digital marketing professionals will continue to play in the future · And more Data isn’t everything. Human intuition and creativity will always be essential components of successful marketing. So relax! Read Digital Marketing in an Artificial Intelligence World, and in no time at all you’ll be leveraging AI, not competing with it.
The AI Does Not Hate You: Superintelligence, Rationality and the Race to Save the World
Tom Chivers - 2019
But it's also more importantly about a community of people who are trying to think rationally about intelligence, and the places that these thoughts are taking them, and what insight they can and can't give us about the future of the human race over the next few years. It explains why these people are worried, why they might be right, and why they might be wrong. It is a book about the cutting edge of our thinking on intelligence and rationality right now by the people who stay up all night worrying about it.Along the way, we discover why we probably don't need to worry about a future AI resurrecting a perfect copy of our minds and torturing us for not inventing it sooner, but we perhaps should be concerned about paperclips destroying life as we know it; how Mickey Mouse can teach us an important lesson about how to program AI; and how a more rational approach to life could be what saves us all.
Identified Flying Objects: A Multidisciplinary Scientific Approach to the UFO Phenomenon
Michael P. Masters - 2019
Dr. Michael P. Masters, a professor of biological anthropology specializing in human evolutionary anatomy, archaeology, and biomedicine, explores how the persistence of long-term biological and cultural trends in human evolution may ultimately result in us becoming the ones piloting these disc-shaped craft, which are likely the very devices that allow our future progeny to venture backward across the landscape of time. Moreover, these extratempestrials are ubiquitously described as bipedal, large-brained, hairless, human-like beings, who communicate with us in our own languages, and who possess technology advanced beyond, but clearly built upon, our own. These accounts, coupled with a thorough understanding of the past and modern human condition, point to the continuation of established biological and cultural trends here on Earth, long into the distant human future.
Working Futures: 14 Speculative Stories About The Future Of Work
Mike MasnickHolly Schofield - 2019
Virtual reality. Genetic engineering. These and other technologies are changing the way we live—and the way we work. What will our jobs be like in a future marked by such radical change? In Working Futures, science fiction authors share possible answers to that question. From surveillance auditors to AI chaperones to high-tech trash collectors, the workers found in these speculative stories provide a glimpse of what our future might look like— perhaps sooner than we think. With stories by Keyan Bowes, Katharine Dow, Timothy Geigner, Liam Hogan, Christopher Alex Hooton, Andrew Dana Hudson, Randy Lubin, Mike Masnick, Ross Pruden, N. R. M. Roshak, Holly Schofield, and James Yu.
Savage Ecology: War and Geopolitics at the End of the World
Jairus Victor Grove - 2019
In Savage Ecology he offers an ecological theory of geopolitics that argues that contemporary global crises are better understood when considered within the larger history of international politics. Infusing international relations with the theoretical interventions of fields ranging from new materialism to political theory, Grove shows how political violence is the principal force behind climate change, mass extinction, slavery, genocide, extractive capitalism, and other catastrophes. Grove analyzes a variety of subjects—from improvised explosive devices and drones to artificial intelligence and brain science—to outline how geopolitics is the violent pursuit of a way of living that comes at the expense of others. Pointing out that much of the damage being done to the earth and its inhabitants stems from colonialism, Grove suggests that the Anthropocene may be better described by the term Eurocene. The key to changing the planet's trajectory, Grove proposes, begins by acknowledging both the earth-shaping force of geopolitical violence and the demands apocalypses make for fashioning new ways of living.
Machine Learning Mathematics: Study Deep Learning Through Data Science. How to Build Artificial Intelligence Through Concepts of Statistics, Algorithms, Analysis and Data Mining
Samuel Hack - 2019
Inside this guide, you’ll find simple, easy-to-follow explanations of the fundamental concepts behind machine learning, from the mathematical and statistical concepts to the programming behind them.With a wide range of comprehensive advice including machine learning models, neural networks, statistics, and much more, this guide is a highly effective tool for mastering this incredible technology.
Inside, you will:
Learn the Fundamental Concepts of Machine Learning Algorithms, and Their Impact in Resolving Modern Day Business Problems
Understand The Four Fundamental Types of Machine Learning Algorithm
Master the Concept of “Statistical Learning”, a Descriptive Statistics-Based Machine Learning Algorithm
Dive into the Development and Application of Six of the Most Popular Supervised and Unsupervised Machine Learning Algorithms, With Details on Linear Regression, Logistic Regression And More
Learn Everything You Need to Know about Neural Networks and Data Pipelines
Master the Concept of “General Setting of Learning”, a Fundamental of Machine Learning Development
Overview The Basics, Importance, and Applications of Data Science With Details on the “Team Data Science Process” Lifecycle
And Much More!
Covering everything you need to know about machine learning, now you can master the mathematics and statistics behind this field and develop your very own neural networks! Whether you want to use machine learning to help your business, or you’re a programmer looking to expand your skills, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the world of machine learning.
Buy now to discover how you can master machine learning today!
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Whole Farm Management: From Start-Up to Sustainability
Garry Stephenson - 2019
Whole Farm Management is a comprehensive guide developed by the Small Farms Program at Oregon State University to help aspiring and beginner farmers make smart business decisions to ensure lasting success. In clear, accessible language, this book covers every essential step, from developing a strategic plan to acquiring equipment, establishing infrastructure, finding markets, budgeting, managing day-to-day operations, and selecting a business structure for long-term viability. The emphasis throughout is on using sustainable agricultural systems and managing the whole farm, whether raising grass-based livestock, perennial food crops, or annual crops such as flowers. Case studies of successful farms, along with guidance and solutions to common problems from long-time farmers, round out this essential handbook.
Together: AI and Human. On The Same Side.
Zoltan Andrejkovics - 2019
It will be the most influential technology of our century, but we still don’t know how to put this into the right path. This book is focusing on the philosophical side of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics while remaining rational and pragmatic.We (not AI professionals) all have important questions:
How will it work?
Who will benefit from AI technologies?
Will robots think the way we do?
How will this new future look like?
Together tries to give thoughtful answers on these questions, we have a vision where AI won’t kill people, more likely to save many lives, a future where AI helps to build a better society.What you won't find in this book:
Mathematical equations and matrixes
Stories about robot vacuum cleaners (sorry pal)
Program codes
What you will certainly read in this book:
The most important questions connected to AI, AGI and ASI
Real world examples of AI applications and companies
An ideal vision how we could achieve a win-win situation with Artificial Intelligence
It is hard to summarize my opinion about AI in one sentence but I would say: "I have a minority report: Together". I would recommend this book for people who are open-minded for a better future.
Go Tech, or Go Extinct: How Acquiring Tech Disruptors Is the Key to Survival and Growth for Established Companies
Paul Cuatrecasas - 2019
As the founder and CEO of Aquaa Partners, Cuatrecasas has facilitated more than forty-five global merger and acquisition transactions involving technology companies and ranging in size from $1 million to $1.5 billion.Leveraging insights gained from his one-on-one meetings with C-suite executives of over 300 large corporations during 2018 and 2019, Cuatrecasas explains why so many corporates are failing at innovation and why technology companies represent the new secret formula for non-tech corporate incumbents to delight their customers and leave their competition in the dust.Go Tech, or Go Extinct is an insider’s guide to the opportunities available for established companies willing to embrace rapid change without sacrificing their core goals. More encompassing than a “how-to” handbook, this resource is designed for ambitious C-suite leaders eager to implement the future-focused actions vital to survive and thrive. Armed with the same priceless wisdom that Cuatrecasas uses to create exponential returns for his clients, you’ll identify and seize smart ideas on how to invest and acquire to radically improve your positioning.In Go Tech, or Go Extinct, you’ll discover:
The keys to turning your company into a fully modernized contender
How the right partnerships and acquisitions not only protect your market position, but transform your share price
The new levers of value creation required to multiply established corporations’ market worth
The methodologies and tactical ploys to invest in and acquire tech companies with almost zero risk
Important factors in bringing teams of technology talent into your culture without breaking it, and much, much more
Go Tech, or Go Extinct is an unparalleled insight into how you can maintain your company’s success in a disruptive climate. If you like straightforward advice, proven fact-based tactics, and don’t mind a departure from traditional culture, then you’ll love Paul Cuatrecasas’ tour-de-force.
Farewell, Everything
Véva Perala - 2019
Dragged into war and battered by disease, Osha unwittingly trades his life for a fever dream of half-truths and hidden realms. Helped and hindered by a cast of mystics, rebels, and ghosts, he struggles to reclaim his body, his identity, and reality itself – before it’s too late.With humor and horror in equal measure, ‘Farewell, Everything’ delves into the dissolution of a transforming mind. Stumbling through the stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance – our unlikely hero braves the surreal landscapes of love, loss, and death, from which no one emerges unchanged.
Out of Joint: Power, Crisis, and the Rhetoric of Time
Nomi Claire Lazar - 2019
But how could we know the future? Nomi Claire Lazar draws on stories across a range of cultures and contexts, ancient and modern, to show how leaders use constructions of time to frame events. These frames carry an implicit promise to secure or subvert an expected future, shaping belief in what is possible—and what is inevitable. “Ranging imaginatively across history and geography, this elegant book probes temporal sources of order and transformation. Its analytical wisdom discloses how calendars and representations of time shape political legitimacy, dispositions, and action.”—Ira I. Katznelson, author of Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time “Great political leaders, for good or ill, seek to shape our daily lives by playing with time itself. That is the central insight of this elegant, erudite volume, one that means I will henceforth listen to speeches and manifestos with new ears and new tools to rebut them.”—Anne-Marie Slaughter, President and CEO, New America “Nomi Lazar gives us a fascinating exploration of the political construction of time itself, as structured by calendars, dating systems, and other mechanisms used for legitimation, revolution, and a myriad of other political purposes. A memorable and endlessly interesting book.”—Adrian Vermeule, Harvard Law School
Impact Imperative: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Investing to Transform the Future
Pamela Ryan - 2019
We are, as she tells us, at a pivotal moment in history. Individuals, organizations, and investors are doing immense good, but extraordinary challenges are enveloping the planet, threatening life and humanity itself: escalating extreme weather events, shifting global population and power balances, widening socioeconomic disparities, and rising tensions among extremists and mainstream populations. Impact Imperative stems from consultations with over 130 professionals in the burgeoning impact innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment space. As Dr. Ryan shares insights from these impact innovators about how we can meet these challenges in the next few decades and beyond, she encourages readers to think about how our own consequential actions in the present can propel us—individually and collectively—toward more optimal futures. Or increasingly destructive futures.
The AI Republic: Building the Nexus Between Humans and Intelligent Automation
Terence C.M. Tse - 2019
The truth is AI will deeply change the nature of work itself and lead to the creation of jobs that don't exist yet. Sensational media reports speculate about the "rise of the machines" but fail to see that there's no real intelligence in AI. It is not an all-seeing master, but rather a functional tool that must combine with the intelligence we possess to be effective. With The AI Republic, Terence Tse, Mark Esposito, and Danny Goh have not written a book for coders, but for everyone curious about a future shaped by AI. They demystify this life-changing technology and explain how we can build a shared space where humans and intelligent automation work together, whether you're a business executive who wants to implement it, a government leader responsible for policy creation, or a parent who wants to prepare your children to grow up with AI as a companion.