AI book club
“On one estimate, the adult human brain stores about one billion bits—a couple of orders of magnitude less than a low-end smartphone.” - Nick Bostrom, Superintelligence
TL;DR
3 of my favorite AI books for you to explore.
3 AI tools to speed up your product workflows - Feathery AI, Reword, & Osher AI.
AI news: Another day in AI-driven disinformation news, a dose of AI optimism, and who’s responsible for protecting workers from AI?
Welcome to AI book club
On this week’s podcast episode (linked here), I had a great conversation with Seth Earley, writer of The AI-Powered Enterprise about how organizations can implement AI models more efficiently by utilizing ontologies. Oh, and exclusively for my subscribers, simply email Seth over @ seth@earley.com, and if you’re one of the first ten to do so, he’ll send you a free, signed copy of his book!
Having read his book in preparation for our interview, I got to thinking about some of the other books I’ve found valuable in my years-long quest to separate the sci-fi conception of AI from the impact that AI tools are having and will have here in the real world. So, I decided to list out some of the books that I think are actually worth your time, plus my reviews, and a little motivation for why I picked them.
If you have any additional books you think would be a great fit for future book club newsletters, please let me know down in the comments!
Book 1 - A World Without Work: Technology, Automation, and How We Should Respond by Daniel Susskind
There are two popular outcomes envisioned in talks about AI-instigated mass unemployment. Outcome number one: AI as the great liberator from work (see, Aaron Bastani’s take that: “luxury will pervade everything as society based on waged work becomes as much a relic as the feudal peasant and medieval knight”). On the other side of the spectrum is outcome number two: the complete economic devastation of the working class.
Daniel Susskind’s work does not rely on extreme modes of thinking like the two examples I just gave you. In fact, I wouldn’t say that he has any firm personal opinions on the ‘good’ or ‘bad’ of mass unemployment caused by AI, but rather views it as a broad inevitability with many forking paths leading to and from it. What he does point out is that the broad arc of culture has, for many years positioned work as the primary determinant of an individual’s value... and that many in the workforce today have already lost faith in the religion of work (eg, r/antiwork).
One of my main takeaways from Susskind’s book is that what a “world without work” looks like from our current vantage point is a highly subjective thing - one that’s been skewed by the fact that commentators on the subject tend to actually enjoy their professions (unlike a large proportion of typical working people). This of course is in and of itself somewhat of a controversial assertion in countries like the US where work and personal value are so intimately intertwined, but don’t be fooled into believing that belief is any meaningful aspect of Susskind’s arguments - his approach is purely pragmatic.
The mechanisms he recommends using to forge a favorable path to the death of work include shortening the average work week, robust new leisure policies, and a major cultural shift in the way we look at what makes our lives meaningful. But, the key value of “A World Without Work”, and the reason I think it’s worth reading is that it treats the issue as a pragmatic reality rather than an ideological thought experiment. It’s one of the only pieces on the subject which has been debated since at least 1891 with the release of Oscar Wilde’s The Soul of Man Under Socialism, that approaches the issue from an economist’s perspective, and it avoids all the political muck typical of other explorations thanks to this unique characteristic.
Read “A World Without Work” to learn more
Book 2 - Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom
“Superintelligence” is probably the pre-eminent work exploring the existential risk that is artificial general intelligence (at least, if you ask YouTube). It’s reputation amongst sci-fi fans and content creators is relatively well-deserved. While occasionally dense, Bostrom goes out of his way to make technical examples more easily understandable to a non-technical audience, making it a book worth anybody’s time.
To set the stage, “Superintelligence” is specifically about its namesake, and explores in great detail the differing outcomes that may be set in motion upon reaching that mythical moment in which true artificial general intelligence is achieved. Obviously, superintelligence is in and of itself a fantasy, and therefore his exploration entails a good amount of world-building and speculation regarding what paths will be successful in producing such technology.
Written years before the explosion of LLMs onto the scene, the book feels more hypothetical and speculative than one would like today. But, importantly, it consistently makes the reader aware that the scenarios it presents are in fact thought experiments and that real-life, incremental achievements in AI like those exemplified by LLMs do not come remotely close to the reality of a true synthetic sentience.
So, why read Superintelligence today? In my opinion, while less concretely tethered to the real world than the other two books on this list, Superintelligence explores the outer reaches of synthetic intelligence in a way that clearly showcases the difference between today’s AI technologies and what a truly superintelligent computer would look like. To be clear, we’re not close to AGI, we’re only marginally closer than we were before generative AI, and it’s very possible that we’ll never actually achieve true superintelligence. That may sound disappointing but trust me, once you read some of Bostrom’s predictions for what might happen when we do achieve it, you’ll be rooting against it too.
Read “Superintelligence” to learn more
Book 3 - Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths
If you want a unique take on how algorithms can be applied to actual daily decision-making.
At the end of the day, all machine learning comes down to algorithms. While the underlying algorithms of life like the formula for DNA, the electrical processes of the brain and more are a too abstract to be tangibly useful to the average person, by understanding the algorithms that make machines work, we can also apply them to our own decision making to simplify complex questions and return more logical answers.
In “Algorithms to Live By”, the authors present a series of complex computer science concepts, such as sorting, caching, scheduling, and game theory, among others, in a highly digestible manner. What makes it truly interesting though is the authors' ability to link these concepts seamlessly to everyday human decision-making scenarios - such as deciding when to stop looking for a parking spot or when to settle down in relationships. The end effect is both an understanding of how the concept works, and how it can be applied to a familiar example - which I’ve found incredibly beneficial to comprehending computer science topics as a non-coder.
Christian and Griffiths present each concept with sufficient background, explaining their origins in computer science, and gradually build up to their applications in daily life. They succeed in making complex theories comprehensible and engaging for the layperson, all while maintaining academic rigor. Their approach illuminates our understanding of decision-making, showing that there is in fact an 'optimal' way to make decisions if one considers and properly quantifies the trade-offs. They argue that understanding these algorithms can lead to better decision-making, reduced stress, and ultimately improve life.
While "Algorithms to Live By" is a well-written and thought-provoking book, it's not without its limitations. For one, the link between computer algorithms and human decisions may seem a bit stretched or oversimplified at times. While it's an interesting premise, human decisions often involve emotions and unpredictability, aspects that algorithms don't usually handle.
Additionally, readers with a solid background in computer science might find the explanations of basic concepts too detailed. Conversely, complete beginners might require a re-read of some sections to fully grasp the underlying principles.
Read “Algorithms to Live By” to learn more
3 AI-powered tools to turbocharge your efficiency, today
📝 Feathery AI
The product - Feathery has long been a powerful tool for product teams, providing a convenient drag-and-drop builder for user onboarding, applications, payments, signups, and more. But with their new AI beta, Feathery has added a dimension to the form creation process. Simply enter a written prompt, and the AI will generate the corresponding form, complete with functioning logic. This is reminiscent of AI deck builders like Gamma, but with an added layer of functionality.
The use case - this upgrade is a game changer for product managers looking to streamline their user interface design process. With Feathery AI, prototyping and implementing forms becomes a breeze. Whether it's a signup form for a new feature or a checkout form for an e-commerce, this tool significantly reduces the time spent on design and deployment, allowing product teams to focus more on the core product.
📚 Reword
The product - Reword offers a refreshing take on AI-powered content creation. It's more of a co-pilot than a standalone content generator, using its understanding of your audience to suggest interesting content ideas as you write. It provides cited insights for you to integrate into your work, creating a deeper level of expertise in your articles. Additionally, Reword analyzes the reader intent that you're satisfying, helping ensure comprehensive topical coverage.
The use case - for those tasked with creating engaging and informative content, Reword could be a fantastic ally. Whether it's for blog posts, product updates, or instructional content, it’s a tool that helps ensure that your writing meets your audience's needs and interests. One feature I really like for content writing is Reword's topical coverage analysis - a way to speed up the process of hitting all the relevant points in a topic, making your content more comprehensive and effective & cutting down on time spent doing SEO research.
🌐 Osher AI
The product - Osher AI is an AI training platform that allows you to create a bespoke Business AI by scanning your website's domain and selected URLs. This AI, armed with knowledge from the selected sources, can then support your team, customer service, and business operations.
The use case - for product managers, Osher AI presents an opportunity to improve user experience and customer support. It can be used to create an AI-powered doc assistant, allowing users to engage with documentation in a more interactive and efficient way. This could lead to enhanced customer satisfaction, as users can get answers to their questions faster and with less friction (without relying on manual customer support). Additionally, it could make internal processes more efficient, as team members can use the AI to quickly access necessary information.
Detailed insight into every user experience, powered by PlayerZero
Unlock the power of Stanford's DAWN labs' innovative new AI breakthroughs with PlayerZero - your secret weapon for mastering user behavior within your app. This tool brings you unprecedented insights into the unique patterns and habits of your users, enabling swift detection of shifts in workflows or bumps in user experience. Just pinpoint your core actions and top-tier customers, and let PlayerZero handle the rest. It delivers lightning-fast updates, revolutionizing your connection with users. Brace yourself for a game-changer in user engagement!
Learn more about PlayerZero co-pilot today and get your first month free!
Chronicles of the circuit circus
Fake viral images of an explosion at the Pentagon were probably created by AI - Shannon Bond for NPR. The big pull quote:
“A false report of an explosion at the Pentagon, accompanied by an apparently AI-generated image, spread on Twitter on Monday morning, sparking a brief dip in the stock market.”
[...]
“Many of the Twitter accounts that spread the hoax carried blue checks, which used to signify that the social network had verified the account is who or what it claims to be. But under new owner Elon Musk, the company now gives a blue check to any account that pays for a monthly Twitter Blue subscription.”
AI optimism: How embracing artificial intelligence is getting workers ahead - Sophia Epstein for BBC. The big pull quote:
“While the growing capabilities of AI are certainly making many workers anxious, others are embracing the technology. They are already using the tools to improve on-the-job productivity and efficiency. And emerging data shows that there may be more AI optimism in the workplace than headlines – and our own biases – lead us to believe.
Microsoft’s annual Work Trend Index, released in May 2023, shows while 49% of people are worried AI will replace their jobs, far more – 70% – would delegate as much work as possible to AI to lessen their workloads.”
A.I.’s Threat to Jobs Prompts Question of Who Protects Workers - Emma Goldberg for the New York Times. The big pull quote:
“Another possibility is a displacement tax, levied on employers when a worker’s job is automated but the person is not retrained, which could make businesses more inclined to retrain workers. The government could also offer A.I. companies financial incentives to create products designed to augment what workers do, rather than replace them — for example, A.I. that provides TV writers with research but doesn’t draft scripts, which are likely to be of low quality.
“If the government sets the agenda in developing technologies that are more complementary to humans, that would be very important,” Mr. Acemoglu said. “Industry is looking to the government for leadership.””
Signoff
And that's a wrap on this week's Future of Product. From exploring some of my favorite books on AI, to revamping your workflows with top-notch AI tools, and staying updated with the latest in AI news - we've covered a lot of ground today. I hope this newsletter has provided valuable insights for you, if it has, please don’t hesitate to leave a like and share it with anyone you think would find it valuable.
And remember, the dialogue doesn't have to end here. If you have any thoughts, questions, or even some exciting AI tools or books to share, don't hesitate to drop a comment - I’ll respond, I promise! This community thrives on collaboration, and your input is always valued.
In the coming week, I’ll be interviewing Marko Jak, founder @ Secta Labs, be sure to tune in on Tuesday to catch it!
See ya next week!