Aiq ― How People and Machines Are Smarter Together

“There comes a time in the life of a subject when someone steps up and writes the book about it. AIQ explores the fascinating history of the ideas that drive this technology of the future and demystifies the core concepts behind it; the result is a positive and entertaining look at the great potential unlocked by marrying human creativity with powerful machines.” —Steven D. Levitt, bestselling co-author of Freakonomics

From two leading data scientists, what everyone needs to know to understand how intelligent machines are changing the world and how we can use this knowledge to make better decisions in our own lives.

Dozens of times per day, we all interact with intelligent machines that are constantly learning from the wealth of data now available to them. These machines, from smart phones to talking robots to self-driving cars, are remaking the world in the 21st century in the same way that the Industrial Revolution remade the world in the 19th century.

AIQ is based on a simple premise: if you want to understand the modern world, then you have to know a little bit of the mathematical language spoken by intelligent machines. AIQ will teach you that language—but in an unconventional way, anchored in stories rather than equations.

You will meet a fascinating cast of historical characters who have a lot to teach you about data, probability, and better thinking. Along the way, you'll see how these same ideas are playing out in the modern age of big data and intelligent machines—and how these technologies will soon help you to overcome some of your built-in cognitive weaknesses, giving you a chance to lead a happier, healthier, more fulfilled life.

NICK POLSON is Professor of Econometrics and Statistics at the Chicago Booth School of Business. He does research on machine intelligence and deep learning, and is a frequent speaker at events. Polson lives in Chicago.

JAMES SCOTT is Associate Professor of Statistics at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a statistician, data scientist, and has worked with clients across many industries to help them understand the power of data. Scott lives in Austin with his wife.