Hello World cover art

Hello World

How to be Human in the Age of the Machine

Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

$8.99/mo after trial ends. Cancel anytime
Try for $0.00
More purchase options

Hello World

By: Hannah Fry
Narrated by: Hannah Fry
Try for $0.00

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $16.18

Buy Now for $16.18

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Hello World, written and read by Hannah Fry.

You are accused of a crime. Who would you rather determined your fate – a human or an algorithm?

An algorithm is more consistent and less prone to error of judgement. Yet a human can look you in the eye before passing sentence.
You need a liver transplant to save your life. Who would you want in charge of organ allocation?
An algorithm can match organ donors with patients, potentially saving many more lives. But it may send you to the back of the queue.
You’re buying a (driverless) car. One vehicle is programmed to save as many lives as possible in a collision. Another promises to prioritize the lives of its passengers. Which do you choose?
Welcome to the age of the algorithm, the story of a not-too-distant future where machines rule supreme, making important decisions – in healthcare, transport, finance, security, what we watch, where we go even who we send to prison. So how much should we rely on them? What kind of future do we want?

Hannah Fry takes us on a tour of the good, the bad and the downright ugly of the algorithms that surround us. In Hello World she lifts the lid on their inner workings, demonstrates their power, exposes their limitations, and examines whether they really are an improvement on the humans they are replacing.

'Wise, sharp and witty, the definitive guide to living in the age of social media, algorithms and automation.' Adam Rutherford

Law Physics Programming Programming & Software Development Science Social Sciences Software Development & Engineering Technology Software Development Software
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic Reviews

A stylish, thoughtful, and scrupulously fair-minded account of what the software that increasingly governs our lives can and cannot do ... A beautifully accessible guide that leaps lightly from one story to the next without sparing the reader hard questions... deserves a place in the bestseller charts. (Oliver Moody)
With refreshing simplicity, Fry explains what AI, machine learning and complicated algorithms really mean, providing some succinct explanations of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, driverless cars and many other unnerving modern phenomena…This book illustrates why good science writers are essential. (Katy Guest)
Brilliantly clear...Fry succinctly outlines the ethical issues that beset AI (James McConnaiche)
Hello World is a gem of accessible science writing. With eloquence and charm, Hannah Fry outlines the maths of computer algorithms and explains how they are transforming fields such as health, justice, transport and the arts. She is a wise guide to the benefits - and horrors of our increasingly data-driven world. (Alex Bellos, author of Alex's Adventures in Numberland)
Expertly told, wise and with a lightness of touch, Hannah Fry's brilliant exploration of how we live our lives in the age of AI will prompt arguments in pubs and over dinner tables for years to come. (Adam Rutherford)
Computers used to be tools, then they were toys, and now they're all around us. You couldn't ask for a better guide to this bewildering new world than Hannah Fry, who fills Hello World with wit, storytelling and superbly clear insight. Bravo! (Tim Harford, author and presenter of The Undercover Economist and more recently Fifty Things That Made the Modern Economy.)
Hannah Fry's masterful and entertaining call to arms needs to be read by every last human who unthinkingly entrusts our destiny to algorithms. Because, what do you know, the machine-determined future may just work against our best interests, people. (David Rowan, Founder editor of WIRED UK)
Hello World is an action-packed, quick read during which you will be outraged, provoked, and challenged. The numerous, meticulously researched examples reveal the astonishing new world we're living in, one where secret decisions with ambiguous goals are deciding our individual and collective fates. Welcome to the modern world of big data, you're quite possibly screwed. (Cathy O'Neil, author of Weapons of Math Destruction)
Hello World is a brisk and friendly guidebook to the algorithms all around us (Jordan Ellenberg)
Editor's Choice: consistently illuminating (Caroline Sanderson)
All stars
Most relevant
I love Hannah Fry and the book didn't disappoint. An interesting walk through the pros and cons of algorithms in different applications. super interesting and pitched just right for any level of expertise.

Love Hannah Fry!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I love Hannah Fry's style anyway. It's humane and approachable. I knew I'd probably like this book before I bought it, So glad I was right.
She sheds unexpected light on the diversity and depth of algorithms, and how they influence our world. Be prepared for a deep dive into a story that is far from unfinished. THe growing use of algorithms promises much, but also threatens things we genuinely value.
Her ultimate message is that we are still in charge, and how these tools are used reflect both the good and the bad aspects of our nature.
A fascinating and accessible read. Buy it, the algorithms say you want to. :-)

Insightful, with both hope and dread.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Loved it. It's an eye opener and some parts but mostly a better understanding of the workings of algorithms in our lives. Reminder that it doesn't have to be a zero sum relationship with machine.

Eye opener

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

An excellent work. I would have liked a bit more detail on somethings but it didn't drag down the rest not having it. The biggest issue is as I listen in the car when Hannah Fry speaks quietly, usually for emphasis or to make a point, it can be all but impossible to hear at times. Turning up the volume is not an option as she returns to full volume within seconds which would blow out the speakers. Other than that it's a high recommend.

Excellent but not without flaws

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to Hannah Fry reading her book. The content was thought provoking and accessible. I also learned a lot about algorithms.

interesting book read by the author

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.