Thinking With Machines

Praise for THINKING WITH MACHINES “Clear, urgent, and deeply human. Dhar’s personal journey through AI makes Thinking with Machines feel less like science fiction and more like a mirror—helping us reflect on trust, resilience, and what it means to stay grounded in a world racing ahead.” —DAVID KO, CEO, Calm “At last, a book by one of the world’s leading AI researchers and practitioners that is both cutting edge and easy-to-read. Part history of the field, part handbook for the non-expert, part AI governance manifesto, and part author’s life journey, Thinking with Machines is indispensable reading for professionals, policymakers, and concerned citizens grappling with the paradigm shift of our times.” —PAUL SHEARD, Economist and Author of The Power of Money “In a world of wannabe AI experts, Vasant Dhar shines as someone who has played the long game, through successive AI hype cycles and winters. In this remarkable book, he provides a calm and reasoned way for us to decipher the world of AI and a playbook for dealing with the most important innovation of our time.” —NANDAN NILEKANI, Co-Founder and Chairman, Infosys, and Founding Chairman, UIDAI (Aadhaar) “In a world filled with AI experts who alternate between relentless hype and imminent doom, Vasant stands out as someone who sees shades of gray in this debate, and has the expertise and good sense to gauge AI’s strengths and limits. I strongly recommend his new book, Thinking with Machines, to everyone who is involved or interested in how AI will change the way we live and work, as I think it will.” —ASWATH DAMODARAN, New York University Professor and Valuation Guru “Vasant Dhar has a unique perspective: building trading algorithms that compound tiny edges into fortunes, then watching AI evolve from narrow applications to a general-purpose technology. In Thinking with Machines, he reveals when to trust algorithms, when to stay skeptical, and how to govern AI before it governs us. A must-read for our AI-powered future.” —ERIK BRYNJOLFSSON, Professor at Stanford University and Co-Founder of Workhelix, Inc. We are entering a brave new world, thanks to AI. We must shape this future to the advantage of everyone, and not just a select few. Thinking with Machines: The Brave New World of AI tells the story of AI from its very beginnings through the eyes of Vasant Dhar, currently Robert A Miller Professor at the Stern School of Business, and Professor of Data Science at New York University. Professor Dhar lived through the invention of AI algorithms and their various permutations until today. He brought AI to Wall Street in the 90s and was the first to teach AI at NYU Stern. Through his story and the lessons that it reveals, we learn about AI’s progress and reversals, its promises and dangers, and what we need to address before the machine gets away from us. Thinking with Machines is essential reading for AI enthusiasts and learners at all levels seeking knowledge on the greatest technological advancement of our time. VASANT DHAR is Robert A. Miller Professor at the Stern School of Business and Professor of Data Science at New York University. He is also the host of the Brave New World podcast and a frequent contributor to scientific journals and mainstream media about artificial intelligence.