AI Superpowers

By: Kai-Fu Lee

Narrated by: Mikael Naramore

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

Here are two well-known facts:

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the world as we know it.

The United States has long been, and remains, the global leader in AI.

That first fact is correct. But in his provocative new book, Dr. Kai-Fu Lee - one of the world’s most respected experts on AI - reveals that China has suddenly caught up to the US at an astonishingly rapid pace. As the US-Sino competition begins to heat up, Lee envisions China and the US forming a powerful duopoly in AI, but one that is based on each nation’s unique and traditional cultural inclinations. 

Building upon his longstanding US-Sino technology career (working at Apple, Microsoft, and Google) and his much-heralded New York Times Op-Ed from June 2017, Dr. Lee predicts that Chinese and American AI will have a stunning impact on not just traditional blue-collar industries but will also have a devastating effect on white-collar professions. Is the concept of universal basic income the solution? In Dr. Lee’s opinion, probably not. 

In AI Superpowers, he outlines how millions of suddenly displaced workers must find new ways to make their lives meaningful, and how government policies will have to deal with the unprecedented inequality between the "haves" and the "have-nots." Even worse, Lee says the transformation to AI is already happening all around us, whether we are aware of it or not.

Dr. Lee - a native of China but educated in America - argues powerfully that these unprecedented developments will happen much sooner than we think. He cautions us about the truly dramatic upheaval that AI will unleash and how we need to start thinking now on how to address these profound changes that are coming to our world.

©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.

131 people found this helpful

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.

22 people found this helpful

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.)

9 people found this helpful

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.

20 people found this helpful

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).

26 people found this helpful

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.

5 people found this helpful

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.

14 people found this helpful

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.

4 people found this helpful

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.

13 people found this helpful

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.

6 people found this helpful

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.

17 people found this helpful

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.

16 people found this helpful

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.

20 people found this helpful

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.

3 people found this helpful

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.

6 people found this helpful

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.

2 people found this helpful

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

2 people found this helpful

Was ok, but I expected more.

It was an interesting read, and when it was on topic I really enjoyed it. The problem is that the author dives into side topics for too long, and occasionally does this across multiple chapters. In fact, i nearly returned the book after reapatative examples of why China is excellng at AI research went across 3 chapters! Could have been covered in one.

1 person found this helpful

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

1 person found this helpful

Not satisfied

Not much about current progress in ai and challenges
More a story of his own exp w the field and generel ai stuff

1 person found this helpful