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  • Scary Smart

  • The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World
  • By: Mo Gawdat
  • Narrated by: Mo Gawdat
  • Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (61 ratings)

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Scary Smart

By: Mo Gawdat
Narrated by: Mo Gawdat
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Publisher's Summary

One of The Sunday Times' Business Books of the Year

Artificial intelligence is smarter than humans. It can process information at lightning speed and remain focused on specific tasks without distraction. AI can see into the future, predicting outcomes and even use sensors to see around physical and virtual corners. So why does AI frequently get it so wrong?

The answer is us. Humans design the algorithms that define the way that AI works, and the processed information reflects an imperfect world. Does that mean we are doomed? In Scary Smart, Mo Gawdat, the internationally best-selling author of Solve for Happy, draws on his considerable expertise to answer this question and to show what we can all do now to teach ourselves and our machines how to live better. With more than 30 years' experience working at the cutting-edge of technology and his former role as chief business officer of Google [X], no one is better placed than Mo Gawdat to explain how the Artificial Intelligence of the future works.

By 2049, AI will be a billion times more intelligent than humans. Scary Smart explains how to fix the current trajectory now, to make sure that the AI of the future can preserve our species. This book offers a blueprint, pointing the way to what we can do to safeguard ourselves, those we love and the planet itself.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Mo Gawdat (P)2021 Macmillan Publishers International Ltd

Critic Reviews

"Technology is putting our humanity at risk to an unprecedented degree. This book is not for engineers who write the code or the policy makers who claim they can regulate it. This is a book for you. Because, believe it or not, you are the only one that can fix it." (Mo Gawdat)

"From a brilliant mind comes a terrifying prediction." (Tim Ash, bestselling author of Unleash Your Primal Brain)

What listeners say about Scary Smart

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passion of the author and reader

that was not cske but still eye opening and very good all the same

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Eye opening read

Such an eye opening book. Love the advice and the parent/child analogy/framework. Love the positivity and reassurance that our inherent goodness and love will come to the fore in the future.

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Incredibly important book - essential listening

I have to say prior to listening to Mo Gawdat I had no idea of the true potentiality of AI, (and I thought I was relatively on the pulse). The fact that this is not being talked about in the media or by our governments requires us all to get informed and learn how to move forward for the good of humanity. Mo puts it in no uncertain terms, and says it all very simply so we can understand what needs to happen for a bright future. I urge you to listen to this book and share it with everyone you know ✨

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Very enlightening

Thanks Mo, for being a part of the tech team who created these monsters, and now you are making a lot of money warning people about them. The least you could do is give people the warning for free. Who is the greedy one.

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Incredible Book

Absolutely in love with this book. have been recommending it to everyone. It really outlines all the threats, challenges and possibilities of AI but also gives you a solution to avoid catastrophe. Mo read the book wonderfully, incredibly easy listening and not boring at all, it really captivates you as you listen. 10000% recommend!

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The must read

To be involved with AI is a gift to all - as a developer I agree with Mo until the last camp fire !

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Mo Gawdat “Scary Smart” takes me back to why we raised our child to say please, thank you and you’re welcome

We think we know it all because our generation seems so far ahead than the last. When my mother-in-law says thank you to Google after it responds with its designated AI task, I would think she was crazy but now I believe it’s an absolute must.

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An important and beautiful book

It’s always a treat when the author reads the book, and for this book in particular it has to be read by Mo. I would say the most important thing is to stick with the book all the way to the end.

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THE Must Read book of this decade

This isn't 'A must-read'. It's THE Must-Read of this decade. AI (Artificial Intelligence) is here and understanding our relationship with it is as essential as dealing with Covid and Climate Change.
I am ready to make some radical changes to my life and to encourage others to do the same on the basis of what Mo Gawdat has written and read here. I'm discussing Mo's thesis with everyone I love. This is not just important, it's essential.

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The Scary Bits

Maybe it’s me or possibly I am an example of what is wrong with humans in general, but I found the first half of the book that deals with the potential dystopian possibilities of AI far more interesting and scarily entertaining than I did to the more upbeat second half that plants ideas that may help us avoid the end of our kind at the hands of AI.

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