Today I remembered how I’m allowed by OUP to upload portions of my book for folks to read a bit (and hopefully be excited by!). So I just uploaded the introduction to Futures of Artificial Intelligence (buy it here!) to Academia.edu.

The book abstract looks sorta like this: Robots and AI technologies have changed the way we live, from mapping car routes to providing home assistance. AI is used in surveillance, machine learning, and natural language processing and will become increasingly important to education, law, governance, and more. Some advocates of AI technology even believe that AI will equal human intelligence, and someday attain greater-than-human intelligence. Robots may become our helpers, our companions, or our superiors. The idea that godlike machines will replace humanity is either a nightmare or a cause for celebration depending on who you ask, and it has become increasingly commonplace. In the 21st century it has spread throughout the world, with Indian and American scientists, engineers, and even the general public paying attention to such futuristic speculation. Ideas about AI arise from cultural and religious beliefs, and they affect how we design and use the technology. This book traces perspectives on history and technology in India and the United States, and applies these to how we think about AI. Futures of Artificial Intelligence suggests that the global use of AI will benefit from incorporating perspectives from around the world, showing that India has a powerful role to play in the future of humanity. 

So if you want to see a bit of how such an argument unfolds, check out the links above and hopefully you’ll be excited by the ideas I engage.