"With passion and expertise, Marcus sounds a strong call to action."
Kirkus Reviews
“By his unique combination of technical expertise, clarity of expression, and good judgment as proven by two decades of correct calls, Gary Marcus has become one of our few indispensable public intellectuals. The more people read him, the better our actions in shaping AI will be.”
Kim Stanley Robinson, author of Ministry for the Future
“An urgent call to action for AI governance. With hopeful skepticism, Marcus urges us to demand that industry and government ensure AI models and systems contribute to human flourishing rather than continue to cause harm. An essential, actionable field guide to a more just future.”
Alondra Nelson, Science, Technology, and Social Values Lab, Institute for Advanced Study
“In clear and accessible language, Marcus lays out a forceful case: We should not believe the hype around AI. We deserve more than the magic beans they're selling us, and need to speak up as a society to get an AI that works for the many and not just the few.”
Frances Haugen, author of The Power of One: How I Found the Strength to Tell the Truth and Why I Blew the Whistle on Facebook
“Gary Marcus is a principled voice of informed reason—and he's on humanity's side. It's rare that an experienced technologist comes clean about the concerns that so many share about AI and its likely impact on society—this book is a wake-up call.”
Andrew Yang, author of Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy; 2020 US Presidential Candidate
“Marcus also makes a persuasive case for more ambitious policies, arguing that because AI will likely render some jobs obsolete, the federal government should consider instituting a universal basic income to cushion those affected. Shrewd and levelheaded, this provides plenty to ponder.”
Publishers Weekly
“An honest must read...very accessible. It paints a very clear picture of both the benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence. We need to prepare for, not react to, the coming changes. Reacting will be too late. The danger is that governments tend to move too slowly while a few tech corporations are moving much faster and in questionable directions. Reading this book will help people understand that we need to pressure governments now to move faster so that we can gain the benefits while minimizing the risks inherent in AI.”
Forbes
"This polemic, by a cognitive scientist and startup founder, calls for stricter regulation of A.I. It begins with problems posed by generative A.I. (the kind that spits out text, images, and other data, and which currently fuels the largest A.I. companies' businesses). These include misinformation, pornographic deepfakes, impersonation scams, and the use of publicly available material as training data, which Marcus equates to a “land grab.” His warnings are framed by critiques of A.I. development's current direction, which has privileged deep learning over potentially more fruitful methods, and of what he argues is the tech industry's moral decline."
The New Yorker
“Mighty.”
The New York Review of Books
“I recommend reading Taming Silicon Valley if you're unfamiliar with the main concerns about generative AI and its leading commercial developers. For those with a vague sense of unease, it will provide a detailed explanation of specific risks.”
Los Angeles Review of Books
“The book should be required reading for anyone whose life will be touched in any small part by AI, which is pretty much everyone today... As always, Marcus writes in a strong voice that moves through the material in a breezy, commanding style, backed by a solid command of science and technology.”
ZDNET
Included in the New Yorker's Best Books of 2024 list.
