What You Need to Know About AI
Readers always have a challenge. There are more books than one can ever read in a lifetime. As an author, I've found a similar one: "Why write this book?"
This book is my answer to, "Where should I even start on AI?" Early history, technical underpinnings, business models, geopolitical implications, and things to watch out for in the future are all covered.
The interview series you’ve seen with AI in medicine, AI in electronics design, AI in high finance, and more, have just been a few of the people I’ve talked to in researching and writing this book.
Take a look at the very bottom of this post for some snippets to get a flavor of the book. And if you’re curious, check out a preview of the book introduction and first chapter!
What’s the status right now?
The first draft was done in early December. I’ve been doing thousands of revisions my editors and I have already identified. Some to tighten up the writing, but also some because events have transpired to generate even better examples to perfectly illustrate the concepts I discuss.
Can I get a sense of what else is in there?
Beyond the preview and the table of contents, yes, let’s go on a whirlwind tour of a few book excerpts:
From cultural basis in science function:
“It’s hard to make things inhuman because you’re always making things anthropomorphic, whether you like it or not. A human has no choice when they’re writing,” says Tom Toner during our call. He is an English science fiction writer and author of the Amaranthine Spectrum series, which features an AI as a core character...
To history:
In this case, it’s a story of two boys, both of whom went to the Bronx High School of Science in New York City, just a single grade apart. These two boys would grow up to shape the two great phases of AI before this one. Frank Rosenblatt, who we’ve already met. And Marvin Minsky, described as “the loyal opposition” by Rosenblatt, and who would fight Rosenblatt’s ideas throughout his life despite outliving Rosenblatt by almost five decades—and help bring about a multi-decade winter for the ideas that would eventually become modern neural networks.
To strategic:
Allen also shares on the podcast that the Department of Defense has been “drinking the AI Kool Aid and the autonomous systems Kool Aid really intensely since 2015.” But it was never significant. At least not before the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) contract—literally, an AI “wingman” for human pilots—was awarded to Anduril and General Atomics in April 2024. Note, not the typical defense contractors like Lockheed and Boeing, who the tech company, Anduril beat.
To technical:
Convolutional neural networks like AlexNet accomplish this by taking many small, overlapping snapshots all over the image (to solve image shifts or mirroring), applying a filter to recognize features (“things”) inside of each tiny snapshot, and then handing the entire thing into the “classic” black-box connected neural network. This is how AI tells the difference between humans, bridges, cars, and cats.
To the future:
We will also need better cooling. We’re already seeing fascinating progress in “sci-fi” technologies like immersion cooling—where entire racks or even data centers are submerged in liquid. Or even take some of that heat and siphon it off into thermal batteries, which can either be turned back into electricity… or simply be used to make steel or other products. After all, 20% of global energy demand is actually just to make heat and we could “recycle” some of it.
Early Praise:
“James does a great job pulling back both the hype and horror around AI to paint a grounded but also encouraging picture of what the future can look like with this wide scope of exciting new technologies.”
- Dr. Joshua Reicher, CEO of IMVARIA, former clinical lead at Google’s medical AI group and faculty at Stanford Healthcare
"James is a polymath bridging AI history, cutting-edge algorithms, and the AI revolution with philosophical depth and venture capital savvy."
- Sergei Polevikov, founder of WellAI, writer of Substack best-selling newsletter "AI Health Uncut", and author of “Advancing AI in Healthcare: A Comprehensive Review of Best Practices”
"The quickest and clearest way I've seen to be well-informed on the most important topics in AI, and a book I will be sharing with friends that are trying to get up the curve on potentially the most important technology of our lifetimes."
- Josh Blanchfield, Chief Investment Officer at Avos Capital Management, Former Senior Executive at Bridgewater Associates.
"Really enjoyed this book. James always asks penetrating questions and that translates into an excellent synthesis of the pitfalls and promises of the AI revolution."
- Alex Campbell, Founder and CEO of Rose.ai and former head of commodities at Bridgewater Associates.
“A lucid, deeply engaging exploration that demystifies the most consequential technology of our time. James brings together the rare trifecta of clarity, depth, and storytelling to deliver a guide on AI that is as thought-provoking as it is accessible. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what AI is and take an honest look at the implications of its integration into our lives. This book doesn’t just inform; it empowers. It’s the lighthouse for anyone navigating the fog of AI hype and fear.”
- Brandon Reed, Founder of Dwellspring and Host of the Ready, Set, Startup! Podcast.
Please share!
Even if you want to wait, I’d love for you to share and get the word about the book out—whether or not those friends want to pick it up in stores, or if they want a fancy signed early copy!