The Worlds I See

Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI

By: Dr. Fei-Fei Li

Narrated by: Cindy Kay

The moving memoir of a scientist coming of age as an immigrant in America who finds her calling at the forefront of the AI revolution.

Wired called Dr. Fei-Fei Li “one of a tiny group of scientists—a group perhaps small enough to fit around a kitchen table—who are responsible for AI’s recent remarkable advances.”

Known to the world as the creator of ImageNet, a key catalyst of modern artificial intelligence, Dr. Li has spent more than two decades at the forefront of the field. But her career in science was improbable from the start. As immigrants, her family faced a difficult transition from China’s middle class to American poverty. And their lives were made all the harder as they struggled to care for her ailing mother, who was working tirelessly to help them all gain a foothold in their new land.

Fei-Fei’s adolescent knack for physics endured, however, and positioned her to make a crucial contribution to the breakthrough we now call AI, placing her at the center of a global transformation. Over the last decades, her work has brought her face-to-face with the extraordinary possibilities—and the extraordinary dangers—of the technology she loves.

The Worlds I See is a story of science in the first person, documenting one of the century’s defining moments from the inside. It provides a riveting story of a scientist at work and a thrillingly clear explanation of what artificial intelligence actually is—and how it came to be. Emotionally raw and intellectually uncompromising, this audiobook is a testament not only to the passion required for even the most technical scholarship but also to the curiosity forever at its heart.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

©2023 Fei-Fei Li (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"An inspiring personal journey from immigrant childhood to trailblazing scientist, The Worlds I See advocates for overcoming societal barriers and makes a compelling case for a human-centric, ethical approach to AI."―Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, CRISPR pioneer, and coauthor of A Crack in Creation

"Fei-Fei Li is one of the scientists responsible for the birth of today's most widely discussed science, Artificial Intelligence. In The Worlds I See she gives the best explanation of AI that I've ever read while telling the story of her own profoundly American journey as a young immigrant who finds herself through education. This is a must-read."―Condoleezza Rice, Director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford and 66th Secretary of State of the United States.

“A remarkable book from one of the leading scientists in the field of artificial intelligence. It’s both a moving and personal coming of age story of a young scientist and a riveting narrative that brings the reader into the earliest days of one of the most consequential scientific developments of our time. The Worlds I See is a deeply human story that is ultimately about Fei-Fei Li’s lifelong passion for learning and deep love of science.” ―Ed Catmull, cofounder Pixar, bestselling author of Creativity Inc.

Wonderful and inspiring throughout.

Who can resist the author’s life story … which so happens overlaps the last 25+ years of AI. Truly inspiring and eminently listenable, should be highly suggested reading for any young woman entering high school STEM. If we had a country of such young people and those who support them, we’d have unlimited potential.

The inside story of AI and an argument for dignity

I hesitated to start the book, then hesitated to continue after the first chapter and little by little couldn’t stop listening . Excellent inside story of AI research and development with a central focus on the fundamental need for dignity in the relationship with AI.

Engaging

Well written and great story. Gives a glimpse into how scientists think and their motivations.

So much to learn

She has done an incredible job of outlining her career and the people she met along her journey that assisted her in the development of AI. She documented the evolution of how gathering images played into the development of AI, and how problems where solved along the way. Very inspiring . I’m truly inspired by the program AI4All I intend to follow it closely.

Scientific and Human Awe

Highly recommend - was so drawn in by this book that could not stop listening and finished it in two days. This is as much an emotional and human journey of Fei-Fei, her family and North Star guides who we get to know along her way, as it is an intellectual and technological odyssey. Beautiful, inspiring memoir of a pioneering scientist - and an inside look at how AI has been slowly then very quickly unfolding to change our world - led by her humanity, passion, connections, curiosity and wonder.

Enjoyed!

Well written, enjoyable read. Great job simultaneously sharing her personal and academic life. Highly recommend the read. Just purchased the hardcover for a birthday gift.

Excellent memoir, sci fi and nonfiction all worked into one!

Excellent memoir, sci fi and nonfiction all rolled into one! Dr. Fei Fei Li's life and her work is so interesting and I learned so much about the research and development of AI. She, and many researchers, had good intentions to develop it in an ethical manner to help humanity. It has concerns of course, but if it is handled ethically and with humanity in mind it can be an incredible tool. I don't pretend to understand all the science however she explained it all very well and it was very approachable. Since I am a data nerd, I could see where she was going with some of her research efforts and focus. I highly recommend this book!

A must read book!

In her captivating memoir, " The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI," the brilliant scientist and advocate for human-centric AI, Dr. Fei-Fei Li, takes readers on a profound journey through the realms of learning, friendship, kindness, science, experiments, artificial intelligence, seamlessly blending personal memories as an immigrant woman in male dominant environments. "AI should enhance human capabilities and not compete with it", she says. Fei-Fei shows examples of how this can be done and calls for the creation of AI-inclusive platforms that promote a more just society. I love it!

Great story, very well told.

I started reading to learn more about AI, but became totally fascinated aged by Dr. Li’s personal story. What an inspiration & role model.

3 stories in 1

The history of the field of AI, the tale of the emergence of deep learning, and the story of an immigrant and her family. Magnificent.