These Strange New Minds

How AI Learned to Talk and What It Means

By Christopher Summerfield | Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

About the book

‘Engaging, insightful, panoramic’ Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI & Cofounder of DeepMind

'An eye-opening exploration of a revolution unfolding before our eyes' New York Journal of Books

Stunning advances in digital technology have introduced a new wave of human-like AI systems. Chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are already reshaping economies, challenge democracies, and reshaping society in unpredictable ways. And soon, these AI systems could make autonomous decisions on their users' behalf, transforming everything we do. Understanding how they work is crucial.

Can AI systems think, know, and understand?

Could they manipulate or deceive you, and if so, what might they make you do?
Whose interests do they represent?
When will they be able to move beyond words and take action in the real world?

Neuroscientist and AI researcher Christopher Summerfield explores these questions, charting AI's evolution from early ideas in the seventeenth century to today's deep neural networks. His book is the most accessible, up-to-date, and authoritative exploration of this radical technology. With an understanding of AI's inner workings, we can address the existential question of our age: can we look forward to a technological utopia, or are we writing ourselves out of history?

‘As a leading authority...Summerfield is perfectly situated to explore the meaning and implications of these machines that are so uncannily like – and unlike – ourselves’ Brian Christian, co-author of Algorithms to Live by

'You might choose to be alarmed, excited, or indifferent to LLMs, but you should read Chris’s book before you decide’ Mike Woolridge, author of The Road to Conscious Machines

Editions of These Strange New Minds

Hardcover
ISBN 9780241694657
Paperback
ISBN 9780241694664
Paperback
ISBN 9781405966160
EBook
ISBN 9781405966177
AudioStreaming
ISBN 9781405968065

Read an Excerpt

‘Engaging, insightful, panoramic’ Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI & Cofounder of DeepMind

'An eye-opening exploration of a revolution unfolding before our eyes' New York Journal of Books

Stunning advances in digital technology have introduced a new wave of human-like AI systems. Chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are already reshaping economies, challenge democracies, and reshaping society in unpredictable ways. And soon, these AI systems could make autonomous decisions on their users' behalf, transforming everything we do. Understanding how they work is crucial.

Can AI systems think, know, and understand?

Could they manipulate or deceive you, and if so, what might they make you do?
Whose interests do they represent?
When will they be able to move beyond words and take action in the real world?

Neuroscientist and AI researcher Christopher Summerfield explores these questions, charting AI's evolution from early ideas in the seventeenth century to today's deep neural networks. His book is the most accessible, up-to-date, and authoritative exploration of this radical technology. With an understanding of AI's inner workings, we can address the existential question of our age: can we look forward to a technological utopia, or are we writing ourselves out of history?

‘As a leading authority...Summerfield is perfectly situated to explore the meaning and implications of these machines that are so uncannily like – and unlike – ourselves’ Brian Christian, co-author of Algorithms to Live by

'You might choose to be alarmed, excited, or indifferent to LLMs, but you should read Chris’s book before you decide’ Mike Woolridge, author of The Road to Conscious Machines

Frequently Asked Questions

What is These Strange New Minds about?

‘Engaging, insightful, panoramic’ Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI & Cofounder of DeepMind

'An eye-opening exploration of a revolution unfolding before our eyes' New York Journal of Books

Stunning advances in digital technology have introduced a new wave of human-like AI systems. Chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are already reshaping economies, challenge democracies, and reshaping society in unpredictable ways. And soon, these AI systems could make autonomous decisions on their users' behalf, transforming everything we do. Understanding how they work is crucial.

Can AI systems think, know, and understand?

Could they manipulate or deceive you, and if so, what might they make you do?
Whose interests do they represent?
When will they be able to move beyond words and take action in the real world?

Neuroscientist and AI researcher Christopher Summerfield explores these questions, charting AI's evolution from early ideas in the seventeenth century to today's deep neural networks. His book is the most accessible, up-to-date, and authoritative exploration of this radical technology. With an understanding of AI's inner workings, we can address the existential question of our age: can we look forward to a technological utopia, or are we writing ourselves out of history?

‘As a leading authority...Summerfield is perfectly situated to explore the meaning and implications of these machines that are so uncannily like – and unlike – ourselves’ Brian Christian, co-author of Algorithms to Live by

'You might choose to be alarmed, excited, or indifferent to LLMs, but you should read Chris’s book before you decide’ Mike Woolridge, author of The Road to Conscious Machines

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in These Strange New Minds?

Mathematics and Science > Science: general issues > Impact of science and technology on society

Where can I read a sample of These Strange New Minds?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780241694657

Who is/are the Author/s of the book These Strange New Minds?

Christopher Summerfield

Who is the Publisher of the book These Strange New Minds?

Penguin Books Ltd

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

These Strange New Minds is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780241694657) and paperback(ISBN 9780241694664) and paperback(ISBN 9781405966160) and ebook(ISBN 9781405966177) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781405968065)

Where can I buy These Strange New Minds online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy These Strange New Minds from below

Where can I buy These Strange New Minds?