The Big Nine

How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity

By: Amy Webb

Narrated by: Amanda Dolan

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

A call-to-arms about the broken nature of artificial intelligence, and the powerful corporations that are turning the human-machine relationship on its head.

We like to think that we are in control of the future of "artificial" intelligence. The reality, though, is that we - the everyday people whose data powers AI - aren't actually in control of anything. When, for example, we speak with Alexa, we contribute that data to a system we can't see and have no input into - one largely free from regulation or oversight. The big nine corporations - Amazon, Google, Facebook, Tencent, Baidu, Alibaba, Microsoft, IBM and Apple - are the new gods of AI and are short-changing our futures to reap immediate financial gain.

In this book, Amy Webb reveals the pervasive, invisible ways in which the foundations of AI - the people working on the system, their motivations, the technology itself - is broken. Within our lifetimes, AI will, by design, begin to behave unpredictably, thinking and acting in ways which defy human logic. The big nine corporations may be inadvertently building and enabling vast arrays of intelligent systems that don't share our motivations, desires, or hopes for the future of humanity.

Much more than a passionate, human-centered call-to-arms, this book delivers a strategy for changing course, and provides a path for liberating us from algorithmic decision-makers and powerful corporations.

©2019 Amy Webb (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Rather than questioning the character of thinking machines, futurist Amy Webb turns a critical eye on the humans behind the computers. With AI's development overwhelmingly driven by nine tech powerhouses, she asks: Is it possible for the technology to serve the best interests of everyone?"—Wired

"Webb's assessments are based on analyses of patent filings, policy briefings, interviews and other sources. She paints vivid pictures of how AI could benefit the average person, via precision medicine or smarter dating apps...Her forecasts are provocative and unsettlingly plausible."—Science News

"Instead of predicting the future, Webb lays out scenarios for optimistic, pragmatic, and catastrophic outcomes -- all extrapolated from current facts. However impractical you may find the idea of a common Apple-Amazon operating system named Applezon, considering potential scenarios is a fantastically healthy exercise, because anyone who tells you they know how AI is going to turn out is lying."—VentureBeat

Informative

Very well written and knowledgeable. The had clearly done her research and put them into clear perspectives.

Even more relevant with Carona SARSv2

Great futuristic insight that seems more relevant now with Carona SARSv2 and the possibility that AI played a role in its creation (full speculation) or can hopefully play a role in a vaccine.

Maybe the most important book you'll ever read

This book was incredible. AI could be the best thing that's ever happened to us or it could be the downfall of us all and the rise of a world order that is the stuff of nightmares. Amy Webb does a spectacular job of explaining what we need to do as a society to make sure that AI serves the best interests of humanity and how we are currently failing at this task spectacularly.

Must read, is it ready too late

Narration very good, broad perspective. not sure I will sleep well tonight. I am sure it will all work out....

Best AI book I've read since Bostrom

The title is a little misleading. it's not just about the big 9. It's about politics and society and how other countries (China) are outcompeting us in AI and will very soon overtake the US. This book is a big wake up call. The American military spends too much on hardware (because that's where the lobby money is) and not enough on scientific research (especially into AI). China has our number. Unfortunately I don't see a scenario where we reform our corrupt appropriations system in time not to become a servant to China by around mid-century. Good book though.

Important and Timely

Really excellent overview of where the world is today in the development of AI. Paints some very vivid scenarios of what can happen if we don’t control it and how it can impact the global political orders.

Misleading title

Very few learnings from this book.
It starts well with some good introduction and concepts of AI but then the author starts depcting fictional scenarios on what she thinks could be the impacts of AI. 70% of the book is about listening to this. It barely talks about the big nine, what they are doing or how they are doing it.
Would not recommend it, just finished it because I couldnt return it any longer

Trusting to a Fault

The perspective taken with respect to the G-MAFIA is largely uncritical and overly hopeful. Rather than delve into the corrupting influence of profit on the G-MAFIA (e.g. Russian involvement in the 2016 election via Facebook and pedophilia group formation mediated by the YouTube recommendation algorithms), the author pins these shortcomings generally on social pressures to produce advanced AI applications (there's no support for this claim given). This perspective then taints the whole argument of the book, which is that we need to support the G-MAFIA in AI development rather than regulate or file for anti-trust suits. As an AI researcher in this space, I have seen absolutely no indication that the G-MAFIA actually ever esteems the public good over their bottom line, so to assume that if we simply stop expecting big advances in AI (and that the companies are made sufficiently diverse) is not only irresponsible, it's dangerous.

My other main gripe with this book is that China's soon to be preeminence in AI is used to justify nearly every proposed course of action. I for one am certainly terrified of China's AI plan, but I don't think that it justifies throwing caution to the wind by simply trusting the G-MAFIA to fight the good fight if they pick up enough diversity (this is the only mechanism of changing the G-MAFIA that the author argues for).

All-in-all, the author gives a decent run-down of current AI capabilities and provides some thoughtful discussion of where AI is headed, but the very premise of the argument seems, to me at least, to be up for debate. It would have been nice to see at least some of that debate in this work.

Comprehensive view of AI

Well done all around. Very thorough and enlightening. I know a thousand times more about AI. I could get by without her having to cleverly coin the phrase g mafia 486 times. Also, even as an American in the unfortunate time of trump, is it necessary to assume the worst motives of China? We have enough divisiveness and anti american sentiment already. Speaking of mafia creed, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

Highly Accesible Discussion - The big Issies of AI

Excellent discussion on the future of AI and its implications on mankind. Goes through current state, capabilities and presents compelling scenarios as to what could be. This is NOT a technical book- it is far more a book about ethics, morality, social sciences, geo-political power struggles and industrial evolution- certainly all resting on Ms. Webbs strong technical comprehension of AI. If you keep hearing all the talk about AI and do not understand why people are so excited and worried about it all, but want to have this understanding- this is the book for you.