AI Superpowers

China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order

By: Kai-Fu Lee

Narrated by: Mikael Naramore

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

THE NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER

Dr. Kai-Fu Lee - one of the world’s most respected experts on AI and China - reveals that China has suddenly caught up to the US at an astonishingly rapid and unexpected pace.

In AI Superpowers, Kai-fu Lee argues powerfully that because of these unprecedented developments in AI, dramatic changes will be happening much sooner than many of us expected. Indeed, as the US-Sino AI competition begins to heat up, Lee urges the US and China to both accept and to embrace the great responsibilities that come with significant technological power. Most experts already say that AI will have a devastating impact on blue-collar jobs. But Lee predicts that Chinese and American AI will have a strong impact on white-collar jobs as well. Is universal basic income the solution? In Lee’s opinion, probably not. But he provides a clear description of which jobs will be affected and how soon, which jobs can be enhanced with AI, and most importantly, how we can provide solutions to some of the most profound changes in human history that are coming soon.

©2018 Kai-Fu Lee. (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Compelled to listen at 2x speed

The writing was stilted. The author or whoever crafted the prose is the champion of buzzwords and cliches, putting the presentation into a slow motion slogfest. For me it was work getting to gratifying moments of stimulation. If exceptional nonfiction writers of Artificial Intelligence (AI) exist, who are they?

I doubt the narrator understood what he was reading most of the time or else even he could not rescue it. Unlike the audiobook's sample 3:25 min, almost all the book's narration is slow and mechanical. Yet the performer had truly outstanding pronunciation. I don't normally listen at high speeds but found it best to listen at 2x, and easier to understand at this higher speed. Try to tune out the cliches when you listen.

High Points:
1. Kai-Fu Lee explained how his experience with lymphoma (cancer) changed his relationship with artificial intelligence (AI). He returned to his youthful viewpoint that AI will show humans who we are in addition to improving our lives. He decided to change his habits and spend more time with his family. This was sincere and inspiring; I found it very moving even though it was expressed in an unnatural way as if the author were in a straight jacket.
2. Author weaved in references to famous Chinese entrepreneurs to show how Chinese culture and schools came to embrace AI in contrast to the West. They indeed love AI - it's in their blood, apparently. Their government backs this science financially and in other ways. It's about how China is implementing AI quickly on a grand scale and everybody there is into it. This made me understand that it's different in China, that AI is championed.
3. Author gives opinions of where AI is going and why. Kai-Fu Lee knows his stuff irrespective of his writing weakness; one naturally respects him for his expertise.

Low Points:
1. Author enthuses about Chinese entrepreneurs who steal intellectual property and accuse competitors of imagined crimes as China's "gladiators." He revels in this. Well if you're from China, this might be a high point due to national pride and even addiction. Lee is painfully careful to in no way be seen as criticizing the Party, not even indirectly, and this makes him come across as stilted. He retreats into slogans and platitudes so blatantly that I entertained thoughts of getting my credit back.
2. Author's dystopia prediction of what AI is going to do in the short run, namely, concentrate wealth more and more, left me feeling poorly. He made me feel that personal expression will be restricted too much.

Here's why I think some people should slog through the book: there aren't many good books on AI, so take what you can get. Further, I did it so I think you should do it - just kidding on that point.

Mad-Max vs Gladiator vs Mother Theresa?

I almost came away from this book with a sense of hope and euphoria. Kai-fu's NDE knocked him out of the maximum-impact mindset, and elevated his thoughts to a much higher level benevolent, compassionate and socially responsible vista. But, like Bostrom, Tegmark, Kurzweil et al, he assumes there is a overlooking entity that will guide us to the mountaintop he describes ... while noting that all these corporations, governments and rogue militaries are hell-bent (mad max) on winning. He somehow glorifies China's wanton IP theft and copycat mentality as the initiation process to entrepreneurship. He is probably right that China has the ingredients to surpass the USA in AI, given it's massive data (AI power input), maniacal corporate initiative, insane levels of VC funding, millions of stary-eyed AI students, cut-throat internet industry and a government willing to cut corners and take safety risks that will hobble the U.S. But ... that is ONLY if the optimization response surface is a smooth gradient accent with incremental improvements driven by the noted factors. But, is it? He does a fantastic job of reviewing the reports of job (tasks) attrition due to AI productivity enhancements ... and notes how this will effect different classes of workers. But, is China building an AI card-house ... with energy input from its feedback loop driving the temple higher. .. while leaving a pyramid of useless-class people behind? Isnt China at a much higher risk of collapse, with the structure of it's population and this exalted gladiator mentality? The way I see it, China will either burn the card house underneath it ... or will succeed in accomplishing Kai-fu's dream. In the first case, we ought to worry about the global geopolitical repercussions. Will the 'hordes' (disenchanted) of highly skilled hackers go on a cyber mad-max rampage across the mega-connected world? And then, what of the world's response, with AI driven counterattacks? And then, when there are millions of conflict points, how do you contain the respose to massive destruction events that take out critical infrastructure and systems?
Unless the USA/China/Russia form tightly knit cooperation pacts and joint development programs right now, its going to get ugly fast.

Indespensible, fact filled, captivating narrative on AI.

Brilliant case for authors’ thesis.

That 1) AI’s impact will be great, 2) China has more data and more granular data for powering AI, 3) China central planning of AI venture capital, policy and infrastructure is superior to US/market, so China will pull ahead in race, 4) That too rapid AI advancement will displace too many workers, so rather than nothing, or Universal Basic Income, credits for community volunteering are needed, 5) Love and relationships are meaning of life.

Author is world renowned expert on 1, 2, 3! On rest I am less convinced. Yes, as human he can comment on human condition, including mortality. He is honest and vulnerable. Kudos.

On UBI, etc, he is an amateur.

I personally was unable to reconcile his call for more centrally planned funding, to accelerate advanced AI technology, even to point of acknowledging funding beyond what is financially viable, in the interest of advancing technology. Then long lecture on how then additional central planning (retraining, reduction in work week, redistribution of income) is needed to solve social problems that advancement creates. And hegoes on to say the meaning of life does not revolve around advancement but around old fashioned love and relationships. (I agree, but then find it odd that subsidizing accelerating of advancement is advised in same breath.)

Controversial, otherwise even-handed; non-tech

Be mindful of why people are giving this book low votes: I'm sure many westerners will find Lee's tone in this book somewhat condescending with respect to Chinese dominance over the rest of the world. But look past the condescension, and you might find great value here. He gives an up to the minute, non-technical report of technologies relating to AI, and China's rapid developments in the area since its overnight adoption of AI in 2013. He offers an overall even-handed perspective, despite his exaggerated Chinese nationalism, with emphasis on the benefits and advantages China has gained, and will continue to gain, by copy-catting, pirating, and cheating.

Lee's discussion on the pros and cons of universal basic income (UBI) trivialises its complexities. And I completely disagree with what I took to be his opinion of what careers will mean to humanity in the near future; his opinion leans toward the creation of more caring, dutiful work that citizens are to be tasked with in order to justify their base pay. I lean more heavily toward allowing and incentivizing people with the freedom to innovate cutting-edge and worthwhile products and ideas, rather than treating work as tasks that all citizens on UBI are dutifully obligated to complete. This seems to be the major difference in the majority mindset between the Free World and Communist-type Nations.

Overall a worthwhile book, despite the exaggerated Chinese nationalism (this might be a pro for Chinese listeners).

Questionable if the book stayed objective

The book started out analytically enough, and focused on the things relevant to the title. Towards the end, it was more of a personal narrative, and whole that's not necessarily a bad thing, it does raise the question if the conclusions drawn at the end are objective and analytically correct, or more of a emotionally motivated idealism. Love is a powerful thing after all, but not a great thing for analyzing trends rationally.

Ego. Nationalism. Recovery.

This book is built on a foundation of ego, nationalism, and recovery. With experience across Apple, Google, TED, and various start-ups, Kai-Fu Lee definitely has the experience and credibility to write about AI. The early part of the book is strong on Chinese Nationalism, which is relevant but a bit over the top. The middle portion of the book focuses on the ego of the author as he strived for prestige in the AI community. The final chapters deal with the impact of AI on society, cast in the light of a personal struggle of the author. There are moments of clarity in this journey, but overall there's just too must distraction to what could have been a compelling book on the impact of the rise of AI on the balance of world power.

Enthralling!

Throughout this book Lee goes from describing the history, technology, theories, development and eventual implementation of artificial intelligence as he himself grapples with his own definition of humanity. On one hand, he points to the dangers of exacerbated inequality that this new technology presents for millions while on the other he draws from personal life experiences to paint a picture where society coexists and benefits from this emerging revolution.

Repetitive propaganda

Although perhaps I shouldn't have expected an in depth review of AI from a book entitled AI Superpowers, I think it was reasonable to expect more from one of the preeminent minds in the field. Unfortunately, the first 2/3 of the book was repetitive orphans about how and why China will win the "war" over AI. The final 1/3 was about how he learned to value love.

Beyond not learning much from the book, the production was not the best. You could easily hear the edits because of changes in tone and pitch of the reader.

Narcissistic

Had to stop reading after investing 1 1/2 hours. Book on how China utilized intellectual property of other countries and turns them into better products- not only for China but for the rest of the world. Maybe I should have invested more of my valuable time, but I got turned off in a big way.

A Self Serving Tale

I found this book hard to swallow. Although the information on AI is quite interesting and up to date, my Lee's clear disdain for Silicon Valley and American entrepreneurs, comes across as self-serving as he is a multi-decade Silicon Valley insider. He also fails to hide his enthusiasm for China and the generally illegal and unethical practices of China's startup industry that he himself describes.

It is hard to believe Mr. Lee does not realize how biased he really is and this made an otherwise palatable book hard to enjoy.

I learned something new every 10 minutes!

Fantastic book. A must read for anyone with futurist interests and a hunger for learning about AI and China.

biased.little on ai much on how great's China.

could not finish. expected to learn facts about so, but was confronted with repetitive stories about how great and essential copying is, how great Chinese 'gladiator entrepreneurs' are and how they dwarf the silicon valley counterparts. biased and uncritically enthusiastic about turbo capitalism ąnd competition.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

The author very cleverly avoids the elephant in the room, namely China and its undemocratic, autocratic regime which has brought a dystopia and will be going further down that path with the development of AI.
I am fully aware of China's development of recent years and how China has propelling its people out of poverty, very impressive! But regardless, it has no or very limited culture of freedom, data protection and human rights. And the fact people in China are fed the truth according to the Chinese state, and the country refuses to accept as facts as the rest of the world sees facts, it is impossible to engage in a truthful dialogue with China. From birth to the grave, which obviously includes school years, the Chinese people are fed propaganda, to the point most Chinese are unable to see the world in based on truth facts, and are ignorant of their limited world view. With this in consideration, China is very big threat to the people of China and to democracy and freedom around the world.

Very smart man but very bias .. I mean Very very

The writer is annoyingly bias in China vs America AI battle for probably private reasons

Stealing is good! China is #1! Send me money.

A failure in trying to convince you that the author is special, that amassing data magically produces results, that stealing is good and China is magic. It's best taken as a propaganda piece by an apologetic self-promoter.

Excellent overview of the state of AI and us

Really insightful analysis of the history, current state and future of AI and Machine Learning, with a smattering of humanism appearing towards the end after the author's own brush with mortality.

The latter part feels like a bit of an afterthought, opening up the possibility for a further book with more analysis - this side of things seemed a lot less based on experience and research, being a relatively new part of his life.

I would like to have heard the book read in the author's voice, but the narrator did a good job of keeping my interest, with only one very odd extra insertion, which I'm guessing covered an omission or late edit.

Okay read

Not sure I agree about the conclusion which ends up leaning towards love is the answer to some of the dilemma questions we will face because of AI disruption. The book loses its steam towards the end.

Very important facts of AI

I think everyone should ready this book to be able to understand the benefits of AI will bring to us all

Very informative, but self serving

The author, Kai-Fu Lee, clearly has the experience of both Silicon Valley and the Chinese tech scene to write an authoritative book about AI innovation, and this book is certainly very informative and thought-provoking. However, the book should be read in the context of the author's situation. Kai-Fu Lee runs a Venture Capital company investing in Chinese tech and AI startups. His success is 100% tied to having a close relationship with the Chinese state and their ongoing patronage. The glaring omission in the book is any criticism of the Chinese government. For example, the author puts the rapid advance of the Chinese tech sector down to a combination of State support and the work ethic of the Chinese 'warrior' entrepreneurs. Nowhere does he mention that China has undertaken state-sponsored IP theft from the West on an industrial scale, whilst at the same time introducing regulations that have prevented western companies from competing in the Chinese market. He also completely avoids mentioning how the Chinese government is using the Internet, data and AI to control their citizens and stamp out all government opposition and/or dissent. The book is worth reading, but the claims and predictions should be treated with a big dose of suspicion and scepticism. The author's overriding goal is to show the Chinese tech scene in a very positive light both to cement his relationship with the Chinese government and to attract new investment to his VC fund.

Generic overview of AI present and future

I expected an in depth view of AI use today and a clear vision of what is already happening for tge future.
Apart from the generic vision of AI applications, the book focuses on AI history and not clear deadlines for future implementations of current technologies. The authors annoyingly uses the same jargon and terms, repeating basic concepts multiple times. The last chapters focus on a sentimental view of how politicians should already frame AI to avoid an apocalyptic future.
Sentimental ending which is typical of a poor quality book.