A review by sammiseah
Taming Silicon Valley: How We Can Ensure That AI Works for Us by Gary F. Marcus

informative medium-paced

3.5

I bought this book for my husband for Christmas - it was pretty highly rated and the subject matter is extremely relevant for our work (we both use AI quite a lot at work). 

It’s definitely a good summary of the various issues and concerns around AI, but my main gripe was that it was a bit too simplistic for me. There weren’t particularly novel or interesting points, but yeah it was a very good summary of outstanding issues. Additionally, even though it was published in 2024, it already felt a bit dated, but I guess that’s just how fast the field moves!

Overall, I think Marcus is a bit too optimistic about the whole AI situation. I doubt that there’s going to be sufficient much-needed(!!) regulation in time, and I’m already seeing how some people I know are using AI in terrible and ineffective ways. Honestly, Marcus should have focused more on how AI hallucinations can make your life terrible, especially if people aren’t able to figure out that what the AI is saying is just some bullshit and use AI-generated content without discernment 🙃