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Book Summary and Reviews of In Our Own Image by George Zarkadakis

In Our Own Image by George Zarkadakis

In Our Own Image

Savior or Destroyer? The History and Future of Artificial Intelligence

by George Zarkadakis

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  • Published:
  • Mar 2016, 384 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

A timely and important book that explores the history and future, as well as the societal and ethical implications, of Artificial Intelligence as we approach the cusp of a fourth industrial revolution.

Zarkadakis explores one of humankind's oldest love-hate relationships - our ties with artificial intelligence, or AI. He traces AI's origins in ancient myth, through literary classics like Frankenstein, to today's sci-fi blockbusters, arguing that a fascination with AI is hardwired into the human psyche. He explains AI's history, technology, and potential; its manifestations in intelligent machines; its connections to neurology and consciousness, as well as - perhaps most tellingly - what AI reveals about us as human beings.

In Our Own Image argues that we are on the brink of a fourth industrial revolution - poised to enter the age of Artificial Intelligence as science fiction becomes science fact. Ultimately, Zarkadakis observes, the fate of AI has profound implications for the future of science and humanity itself.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Starred Review. A delightfully lucid combination of the history, philosophy, and science behind thinking machines." - Kirkus

"Starred Review. By the conclusion of this highly accessible work, Zarkadakis convincingly posits a future in which "post-humanism will have morphed into trans-humanism," showing how a romance with AI will present humans with a daunting dilemma." - Publishers Weekly

This information about In Our Own Image was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

George Zarkadakis

George Zarkadakis has a PhD in Artificial Intelligence. He has worked for various companies and organizations, including Accenture and Silicon Graphics, and is currently a digital transformation consultant and web entrepreneur. Awarded a knighthood by the French government for his international work in science communication, Zarkadakis writes for several international publications including the Daily Telegraph, the Huffington Post and Aeon magazine. He lives in London.

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