Artificial intelligence from Medieval Robots to Neural Networks by Clifford A Pickover
Narrated by Steve Menasche
Audiobook
Running length around 5 hours 44 minutes
This is a reference book which can be used as a entry level to advanced level book for beginners and professionals alike
Clifford Pickover has a series of such books in wide variety of topics like science technology mathematics! In fact he is a modern world blogger with over 50 published books in a whole amalgamation of topics!
Of course the books are researched from different places and this is like a collection of work from different sources
As they say, copy from one is plagiarism but when you take from many then it’s research!
The book starts from basic AI which even includes games like Tic tac and chess to advanced robots like Watson and deep impact
This is the only audio book of his large series and if you have read his books you will know how it works. The book is a basic chronological guide to the development of a particular topic which in this case is the AI
So every topic has a few lines and reference and cross reference and some basic to advanced facts. Some trivia and popular facts are thrown around for good measure!
Of course there will be lots of cross references and repeated topics in his different books like computer or mathematics or physics and even biology
I have seen the same topics like the Antikythera Mechanism or Boolean algebra or Darwin among the machines or Turing tests being repeated in many of his books which is like a revision!
Simple things like abacus to Moto man; if it has some tech or relation to computer or robotics you can find it in this ready reference!
Of course it is not a story to read but still you can listen to some of the topics like the Frankenstein or Texas poker or backgammon like a story!
Like a typical history book the text moves according to the year starting from BC dates to 2019! Am sure the next edition will have more entries!
Some topics also discuss popular science fiction movies like Terminator and blade runner and Spielberg which adds zing to the experience!
The narration is straightforward and uses simple words keeping the confusion to the minimum! Most topics are like introduction and then it is up to you to read and research and understand further.
My favourite topics were Asimov and his laws of robotics, Roomba the vacuum cleaning robot and connect four game!
Interesting ear catching titles like elephants can’t play chess, or cybernetic serendipity or AI on Mars thrill you and grab your attention!
The final entries are the latest advances in AI like the robotic surgery and Rubik’s cube solving robots to the final topic of AI death predictor!
Even each topic sometimes starts with it’s own history to the development to the final technological advancement in that field!
A must read book which is midway between a textbook and a novel which can cater to everyone who is interested in tech!
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