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Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age by Carol Ann Browne, Brad Smith
marifey23's review against another edition
4.0
Good overview of how we got to this point with AI but written by an insider so obvs read with a critical lens
joshlegere's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.25
answ3r1sn0where's review against another edition
2.0
In all honesty, a lot of this feels very much like Brad patting his own back. While I did somewhat enjoy the book, to me it all felt like a PR exercise that’s was simply unnecessary.
btwalsh's review against another edition
3.0
Clearly a PR puff piece for Microsoft. I enjoyed some of the behind the scenes of the legal history of the company, but most of my interest was rooted in my being an ex-employee. Not sure I’d think to recommend this book broadly to people who haven’t worked there. Interesting in some pockets, but far too grandiose in the introduction and framing of some fairly straightforward concepts. Eye rolling comparisons start most chapters like “just as the Romans had to negotiate how to approach X, we too need to think about how we approach facial recognition tech” - I mean, come on.
benrogerswpg's review against another edition
4.0
Use Tools To Counter Weapons Or Become A Tool By Using Weapons
Tools and Weapons is a thought-provoking and insightful book that provides a unique perspective on the challenges facing tech companies today.
Written by Brad Smith, the President of Microsoft, the book takes readers into the cockpit of one of the world's largest and most powerful tech companies as it navigates some of the thorniest emerging issues of our time.
Smith delves into a range of pressing issues, including privacy, cybercrime and cyberwar, social media, the moral conundrums of AI, big tech's relationship to inequality, and the challenges for democracy.
One of the strengths of the book is the level of transparency and honesty that Smith brings to the table. He does not shy away from discussing some of the most difficult decisions that Microsoft has had to make in recent years and provides a candid look at the company's thought process and reasoning behind those decisions.
This level of openness is refreshing and provides readers with a deeper understanding of the complexities and nuances of the issues at hand.
Smith's writing is clear and engaging, making the book accessible to a wide range of readers. He does an excellent job of breaking down complex concepts and explaining them in a way that is easy to understand.
Additionally, the book is well-researched and provides a wealth of information and data to support the author's arguments.
The book provides a valuable and timely contribution to the ongoing conversation around the role of tech companies in society. It is thought-provoking, well-written, and offers a unique perspective on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Recommended for anyone interested in technology and its impact on society.
3.8/5
Tools and Weapons is a thought-provoking and insightful book that provides a unique perspective on the challenges facing tech companies today.
Written by Brad Smith, the President of Microsoft, the book takes readers into the cockpit of one of the world's largest and most powerful tech companies as it navigates some of the thorniest emerging issues of our time.
Smith delves into a range of pressing issues, including privacy, cybercrime and cyberwar, social media, the moral conundrums of AI, big tech's relationship to inequality, and the challenges for democracy.
One of the strengths of the book is the level of transparency and honesty that Smith brings to the table. He does not shy away from discussing some of the most difficult decisions that Microsoft has had to make in recent years and provides a candid look at the company's thought process and reasoning behind those decisions.
This level of openness is refreshing and provides readers with a deeper understanding of the complexities and nuances of the issues at hand.
Smith's writing is clear and engaging, making the book accessible to a wide range of readers. He does an excellent job of breaking down complex concepts and explaining them in a way that is easy to understand.
Additionally, the book is well-researched and provides a wealth of information and data to support the author's arguments.
The book provides a valuable and timely contribution to the ongoing conversation around the role of tech companies in society. It is thought-provoking, well-written, and offers a unique perspective on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Recommended for anyone interested in technology and its impact on society.
3.8/5
encima's review against another edition
3.0
Super interesting breakdown of scandals in the past decade or so and how they were handled by Microsoft from a non technical perspective. Does not try to whitewash Microsoft or shift blame for any mistakes; although there is a (maybe justified?) love of the company that is pushed a little too often for my liking.
Summary of the book: work with governments and do not screw up AI.
Bonus: stay through the acknowledgements for an Ode to Microsoft Word.
Summary of the book: work with governments and do not screw up AI.
Bonus: stay through the acknowledgements for an Ode to Microsoft Word.
rick2's review against another edition
3.0
This set itself up as a book I would really enjoy. It’s written by someone with deep industry knowledge. Brad Smith has been a high-level lawyer at Microsoft and eventually promoted to president after 20 years. I’m deferential to authors who have extensive experience in the subjects they talk about. This could have been a banger. Sadly it felt like it fell short.
I guess I naturally end up comparing it to other books by CEOs and corporate presidents. Next to Satya Nadella’s Hit Refresh this was incredible. But that’s in part due to Hit Refresh being terrible. Compared to a narritavely focused book like Shoe Dog I found it lacking. I don’t know if that’s fair to this book because Shoe Dog was very clearly ghost written. I just know I wanted more from this book. There were a few interesting tidbits. But most of it is just stuff you can find on any tech oriented HBR think piece or surface level Bloomberg article.
If you want to read this, I think you should read this as a survey of the mainstream tech industry in the late 20 teens. And as that is a solid book. But I’m not sure that I’m taking away any deep specific insights or unique knowledge here. Most of the takes are very safe and end with saying how, or sort of framing how Microsoft is doing great. And they might be, I own a chunk of Microsoft stock because I think it’s a good company (this is not investment advice. Just wishing to illustrate that I have drunk the Kool-Aid) and I think there’s value in being able to confidently kind of update your mental models around emergent technology. Some of the stuff that I haven’t been as directly involved in or aware of definitely has progressed. The rural broadband Internet TV channel stuff was fairly interesting. Because this book doesn’t take any risks on what they think the future is doing. It’s all current day capabilities and very realistic recent histories.
The tech industry, or at least my engagement with it, often seems very prone to hype and bombbast. Six months ago it was NFTs, today and seems to be web3 companies. There’s always a “new new“ thing to quote Michael Lewis. I do think it is valuable to be able to hear from someone at the pinnacle of one of the largest technology companies what the sort of safe conventional tech wisdom is. Now do I wish for more? Yes. This is like going to a boring industry conference. It’s like hearing a professor without tenure talk about it. There’s no real risk and it’s very clear that most of the opinion when it happens to sneak through is calculated not to offend.
There are plenty of bits and pieces that are interesting. Brad writes clearly and portrays his ideas sympathetically. I thought that it was interesting to hear from the Microsoft side of things how they interacted with and handled some of the Snowden revelations. I think if you work around tech it’s valuable to understand how someone like Brad thinks. But constantly having to mentally fact check everything against what is obviously a very pro Microsoft take can be exhausting. And the structure of the book is such that each issue presented goes through a discussion of the topic and then spends the second half of the chapter on how Microsoft is doing such a great job with it.
So realistically, if you want to get the most out of this book, you read the first half of every chapter and then use the second half of every chapter as doodle paper. It’ll save you time, you’ll maximize your knowledge intake, and the doodling is probably good for your mental health.
I guess I naturally end up comparing it to other books by CEOs and corporate presidents. Next to Satya Nadella’s Hit Refresh this was incredible. But that’s in part due to Hit Refresh being terrible. Compared to a narritavely focused book like Shoe Dog I found it lacking. I don’t know if that’s fair to this book because Shoe Dog was very clearly ghost written. I just know I wanted more from this book. There were a few interesting tidbits. But most of it is just stuff you can find on any tech oriented HBR think piece or surface level Bloomberg article.
If you want to read this, I think you should read this as a survey of the mainstream tech industry in the late 20 teens. And as that is a solid book. But I’m not sure that I’m taking away any deep specific insights or unique knowledge here. Most of the takes are very safe and end with saying how, or sort of framing how Microsoft is doing great. And they might be, I own a chunk of Microsoft stock because I think it’s a good company (this is not investment advice. Just wishing to illustrate that I have drunk the Kool-Aid) and I think there’s value in being able to confidently kind of update your mental models around emergent technology. Some of the stuff that I haven’t been as directly involved in or aware of definitely has progressed. The rural broadband Internet TV channel stuff was fairly interesting. Because this book doesn’t take any risks on what they think the future is doing. It’s all current day capabilities and very realistic recent histories.
The tech industry, or at least my engagement with it, often seems very prone to hype and bombbast. Six months ago it was NFTs, today and seems to be web3 companies. There’s always a “new new“ thing to quote Michael Lewis. I do think it is valuable to be able to hear from someone at the pinnacle of one of the largest technology companies what the sort of safe conventional tech wisdom is. Now do I wish for more? Yes. This is like going to a boring industry conference. It’s like hearing a professor without tenure talk about it. There’s no real risk and it’s very clear that most of the opinion when it happens to sneak through is calculated not to offend.
There are plenty of bits and pieces that are interesting. Brad writes clearly and portrays his ideas sympathetically. I thought that it was interesting to hear from the Microsoft side of things how they interacted with and handled some of the Snowden revelations. I think if you work around tech it’s valuable to understand how someone like Brad thinks. But constantly having to mentally fact check everything against what is obviously a very pro Microsoft take can be exhausting. And the structure of the book is such that each issue presented goes through a discussion of the topic and then spends the second half of the chapter on how Microsoft is doing such a great job with it.
So realistically, if you want to get the most out of this book, you read the first half of every chapter and then use the second half of every chapter as doodle paper. It’ll save you time, you’ll maximize your knowledge intake, and the doodling is probably good for your mental health.
adamhecktman's review against another edition
5.0
Full disclosure: I work in the department at Microsoft of the authors. That may make me like the book slightly more than I would otherwise. And I loved this book. For one thing, the authors enjoy history and the way it does not repeat, rather it rhymes. Putting today's complex issues surrounding into the context of their historical analogs does something more than help the reader understand where we may have seen this before. It also helps break down the complexity while providing guideposts to where it may lead.
In every chapter, the authors have something to say about the responsibility of technology and the companies that make it. They are clear on the role of governments, ecosystems, and users of tech. And tech companies in this day now have roles to play that extend well beyond shareholder value. Framing policy considerations, influencing (and sometimes leading) diplomacy, setting the stage for the development of a future workforce. And providing, as the title suggests, either the machinery for a new generation of responsible industry or the ordinances of reckless ruin.
The authors lay out various principles that are required if everyone will benefit from the explosion of data and AI. Those principles are not independent of other value systems, such as those that form the basis of democracy or responsible business. They build on them, and the authors give many examples where this was the case when approaching new products. Technologies will come and go. But timeless values are...well...timeless.
In every chapter, the authors have something to say about the responsibility of technology and the companies that make it. They are clear on the role of governments, ecosystems, and users of tech. And tech companies in this day now have roles to play that extend well beyond shareholder value. Framing policy considerations, influencing (and sometimes leading) diplomacy, setting the stage for the development of a future workforce. And providing, as the title suggests, either the machinery for a new generation of responsible industry or the ordinances of reckless ruin.
The authors lay out various principles that are required if everyone will benefit from the explosion of data and AI. Those principles are not independent of other value systems, such as those that form the basis of democracy or responsible business. They build on them, and the authors give many examples where this was the case when approaching new products. Technologies will come and go. But timeless values are...well...timeless.