Description
The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want
A sharp and thought-provoking examination of artificial intelligence hype, the technologies behind it, and the powerful interests shaping the conversation.
Is artificial intelligence truly on the verge of surpassing human intelligence? Will machines replace writers, artists, and workers across every industry? Are we approaching a future where computers can outperform people at everything they do?
According to linguist Emily M. Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna, these predictions are not technological inevitabilities—they are examples of AI hype, a narrative that often exaggerates what today’s systems can actually do while distracting from the real-world consequences of deploying them.
In The AI Con, Bender and Hanna deliver a compelling and insightful critique of the claims surrounding modern AI. They explore how language around artificial intelligence can be manipulated to create unrealistic expectations, justify large-scale data collection, expand surveillance practices, and promote business models that prioritize profit over people.
The authors reveal how many systems marketed as “intelligent” rely on complex statistical processes rather than human-like understanding, creativity, or consciousness. They examine the social and economic impacts of AI hype, including the potential devaluation of human expertise, creative work, and meaningful employment.
With humor, clarity, and rigorous analysis, Bender and Hanna provide readers with the tools to recognize misleading AI narratives, question exaggerated claims, and better understand the forces driving the AI industry.
Whether you encounter AI claims in the workplace, the media, consumer products, or public policy debates, The AI Con equips you to separate reality from hype and critically evaluate how artificial intelligence is being developed, marketed, and used.
A timely and essential guide, this book reveals how the excitement surrounding AI can sometimes serve as a cover for deeper questions about power, profit, technology, and the future of human work.
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