What I’ve been reading lately

I recently revisited John Maeda's latest book, How to Speak Machine, opting for the hardcover after initially enjoying it on my iPad last November. My interest was piqued again after hearing Maeda speak at the FITC Spotlight AI virtual conference. Despite being published in 2019—nearly five years ago—the book's insights into the rapidly evolving field of AI have proven not only relevant but prescient. My second reading has been equally insightful and even more enjoyable, especially as I leisurely absorb it in the bath, which somehow makes the cutting-edge content feel more approachable and gives me space to contemplate more deeply. It's an interesting thought: perhaps the setting in which we read can deeply enhance our appreciation of a book.

Simultaneously, I'm exploring Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick, toggling between my iPad and iPhone depending on where I am. This book, fresh off the presses this month and finished in November 2023, traverses similar terrain to Maeda's work but through a distinctly different lens, and offers more practical advice on how to harness AI now that it's become a general-purpose and mainstream technology. I'm considering adding a hard copy to my collection for those reflective bath-time reads.

Both books delve into AI, authored by experts with deep knowledge of the field, targeted at a general audience, and they share predictions on AI's transformative potential for society. Their goal is to demystify these technologies and suggest ways we can harness them for our advantage and the betterment of humanity.

Interestingly, only one of these books achieved "bestseller" status on Amazon. Can you guess which one? During the FITC conference, Maeda humorously remarked that his book was released four years too early. Perhaps he was onto something.