The book on artificial intelligence that Bill Gates recommends: “It offers something unusual”

Those interested in reading for the summer that talks about current issues can read the book he recommends. Bill Gates on artificial intelligence, highlighted by the founder of Microsoft because “it offers something unusual.”

It is about The Coming Wave (The Wave to Come) by Mustafa Suleyman. Although the author’s name may not resonate with many people, Gates is in charge of drawing his profile: “After helping build DeepMind from a small startup to one of the most important AI companies of the last decade, he founded Inflection AI and currently leads Microsoft’s AI division”. Outside of Suleyman’s experience in the sector, Gates highlights that “what makes this book special is not only Mustafa’s first-hand experience”. “It is his deep understanding of scientific history and how technological revolutions develop”he notes. In this sense, Gates describes Suleyman as “a serious intellectual who can draw meaningful parallels across centuries of scientific advance”.

What is the book that Bill Gates recommends on AI like?

Although the billionaire considers The Coming Wave as “one of the most important books ever written on AI”also emphasizes that its focus is to propose the development of this technology as “just one part of an unprecedented convergence of scientific developments”. “Gene editing, DNA synthesis and other biotechnology advances are running in parallel”highlights Gates: “As the title suggests, These changes are forming like a distant wave in the sea, invisible to many but gathering strength. Each one would be decisive on their own; Together, they are destined to modify every aspect of society.”.

Gates understands that this scenario can cause vertigo in readers, as it does in himself: “If I had a magic button that could slow all this down for 30 or 40 years while humanity resolves its trust and common goals, maybe I would press it.”. But, says the tycoon, “this button does not exist”. “These technologies are going to be created regardless of what any individual or company does”he adds.

Before moving forward with his review of Suleyman’s book, Gates highlights that in his conversations about ready AI “three main risks that we have to consider”: “First is the rapid pace of economic disruption. AI could transform the nature of work itself and affect jobs in most industries (…) Second is the problem of control, or the difficulty of ensuring that AI systems remain aligned to human values ​​and their interests as they progress. The third risk is when a bad actor has access to AI and becomes more powerful, capable of carrying out cyberattacks, creating biological weapons and even compromising national security.”.

This last risk raises for Gates an important concept, that of “containment”and a no less relevant question: “How do we limit the dangers of these technologies without destroying their benefits?”. This question “is at the heart of The Coming Wave”he assures, since “Containment is foundational for everything else. Without it, the risks of AI and biotechnology become more acute. By solving them first, we create stability and confidence to face everything else.”.

To achieve this, Mustafa Suleyman presents at The Coming Wave “an agenda whose ambition is equal to the challenge”. The author covers “technical solutions (such as building an emergency button that turns off AI systems), to profound institutional changes, including new global treaties, modern labor regulations and historic cooperation between governments, companies and scientists”.

“When you finish reading this list of recommendations,” says Gates, “you may wonder if we can really accomplish all of this in time.”. “But that is precisely why this book is important: it helps us understand the urgency while there is still time to act.”.