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.

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).

Started as biased propaganda ended better

This book is insanely bias towards China in the first half. It insinuated that if a U.S. company is leading in some technology then it is technological colonization for others using their technology but if China is leading in some technology they would never be the big bad cololizer like the U.S. They are the saviors of your future. Wouldnt be surprised if this book was spinsored by the Chinese government.

When you make it passed that section you will be met with the author praising Chinese entrepreneurs for stealing American companies Intellectual Property and calling those entrepreneurs gladiators instead of thieves.

After all of the sections listed above there is actually some good that this book has to offer. Just take the opinions with a grain of salt while taking the more objective analysis as your primary take away.

great book! gave me a new way to understand AI

great book! gave me a new way to understand AI
great book! gave me a new way to understand AI

Nice introduction to AI developments in the world

Good overview of the juggernaut that China is becoming in artificial intelligence. Ignore the advice at your risk. Seems that DeepMind and Tencent are going to rule the world.

The Narrator Should Have Been AI

That way, there wouldn't be so many typically atrocious mispronunciations of Chinese names and words in this book. Sometimes, it just sounds like the narrator has balls stuck in his throat when speaking Chinese names, in typical American/Western fashion.

Shocking insights into the Chinese tech world and more

The real unique piece of this book is the comparison of the problem solving approaches of Silicon Valley and China’s tech entrepreneurs. The author talks about the economic impact that AI will have on humanity ends with a surprisingly heartfelt and emotional episode from his own life that helps underscore how we can start to grapple with some of these problems in the near future.

A Great Title

Kai-Fu explains the situation up to a few years ago in fantastic perspective. He lays the foundation of AI allowing the reader to reach their ideas of the future.

Great Great Great book.

Would recommend to anyone trying to take a peek into the future, of not just Ai but humanity

Important book, everyone should read

Kai-Fu Lee does a great job of covering Artificial Intelligence and its trends. He draws from a wealth of experience from the worlds of business and technology. Having worked for some of the top tech companies in the United States and a successful venture capital firm in China, he is uniquely positioned to offer powerful insights.

Solid .. fades late

Listened to know what I was in store for in the future. I also wanted to get some investing ideas. There were a lot of good things in this book, very interesting. The last couple of chapters were bland and discussed author's opinions on universal Income but it was still a good listen.