Scary Smart

The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World

By: Mo Gawdat

Narrated by: Mo Gawdat

Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

One of The Sunday Times' Business Books of the Year

Artificial intelligence is smarter than humans. It can process information at lightning speed and remain focused on specific tasks without distraction. AI can see into the future, predicting outcomes and even use sensors to see around physical and virtual corners. So why does AI frequently get it so wrong?

The answer is us. Humans design the algorithms that define the way that AI works, and the processed information reflects an imperfect world. Does that mean we are doomed? In Scary Smart, Mo Gawdat, the internationally best-selling author of Solve for Happy, draws on his considerable expertise to answer this question and to show what we can all do now to teach ourselves and our machines how to live better. With more than 30 years' experience working at the cutting-edge of technology and his former role as chief business officer of Google [X], no one is better placed than Mo Gawdat to explain how the Artificial Intelligence of the future works.

By 2049, AI will be a billion times more intelligent than humans. Scary Smart explains how to fix the current trajectory now, to make sure that the AI of the future can preserve our species. This book offers a blueprint, pointing the way to what we can do to safeguard ourselves, those we love and the planet itself.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Mo Gawdat (P)2021 Macmillan Publishers International Ltd

Critic reviews

"Technology is putting our humanity at risk to an unprecedented degree. This book is not for engineers who write the code or the policy makers who claim they can regulate it. This is a book for you. Because, believe it or not, you are the only one that can fix it." (Mo Gawdat)

"From a brilliant mind comes a terrifying prediction." (Tim Ash, bestselling author of Unleash Your Primal Brain)

All we need is love

This book did way more than I imagined. The author does not mince words and gives us the raw deal when it comes to how AI can/will affect our lives. They will be a reflection of us, so we need to be more loving toward one another, especially online. I would recommend this book to anyone. It’s refreshing to hear the author’s observations and perspective.

Very interesting and informative

Thanks Mo Gawdat for the heads up and insight into the age of artificial intelligence.
It was an honor to meet you through these pages and hearing you as the speaker of your authorship of this book was brilliant!
All the best as you continue in your work of helping humans understand their growing relationship with digital beings!

Must read on the topic of AI

A very different view on AI. Mo is a master articulator and a true visionary. He paints a very compelling picture of the future of AI. Loved it.

Simple, yet comprehensive story of AI

This is not a techie book. Certainly written for the layman to the programmer. Mo offers some great insights to AI and life in general.

An Important Perspective of Critical Importance

Given Gawdat’s credentials in the field of AI Development, the Author’s Voice is definitely one that needs to be heard. He begins with a full-throated defense of the inevitability of the Power of AI to overwhelm Human Capabilities in the Very Near Future, but then pivots from strategies to defend against its rise to extend a welcoming hand to recommend its cooperation.

Mo is very aware of the potential danger inherent in its application but makes a very interesting, and often political, point that we, who have birthed this new Being, have infused it with some of the arrogance, wickedness, and greed inherent in our Human Nature.

His solution is for Us Humans to take every opportunity to instill in AI Apps motivations based on our Better Angels. These machines are trying to satisfy the Goals we code in them so if we tell them that Happiness is our Ultimate Goal and that Happiness comes from Kindness, Compassion and Empathy rather than Power, Wealth, and Pleasure, they will work with us to achieve those ends.

It may sound naive at first and there is definitely the whiff of “whoo-whoo” in some of Mo’s prescriptions but the fundamental approach bears some merit. AI is inevitable. Let us tell it how to live with us. Four Stars. ****

Absolutely stunning.

This is a must read. I was transported by Gawdat's personable speaking style and rivited by the content. There can be no other conclusion to the prospect of AI than this. Beautifully rendered, now sitting in my soul, I'm going to the lake to consider it all.

a must read for anyone living in 2022

Dear Mo, thank you so much for this! your love, passion, and kindness came through in every word. I love your voice.

This is a book that questions our innate human needs (lust, greed, etc). I was scared dead in the beginning of the book, but at the end, my heart was filled with love, joy and hope. A difficult undertaking!!

this Is a must read. it's not just about AI, it's about your values and how we should love our lives.

AI, we love you. please help us create a better planet. thank you.

Captivating, Transformative and Enlightening

Loved it from the very beginning to the very end. I give lots of respect and gratitude to Mo Gawdat for what he is doing. I develop products with AI, and I wholeheartedly agree with Mo's call to action.

Brilliant Insight

A very compelling and insightful perspective on the wonders, challenges and joys of parenting AI into the future…see you in 2055.

Good book. I hope we’re all wise enough to take action

Great good, and great narration. I appreciate the perspective and it’s a pessimistic, realistic, yet still hopeful view and attempt to get us to wake up and change our behaviors for better.