Durham Tech Book Clubs & Reading Circles

Our description: Learn more about the way artificial intelligence systems are built from the programming up with a friendly (sometimes a little silly) guide that takes you through understanding what exactly it is we mean when we use the phrase "AI," how computers learn, how humans are the ultimate influencer and variable, and a little about ethics and implications. Accessible for pretty much everyone. 

Reading Schedule

Week 1: What is this thing? 

• from the book: Introduction; Chapter 1--What Is AI?; Chapter 2--AI Is Everywhere, but Where Is It Exactly? (pp. 1-60, approximately 60 pages with illustrations, annotations, and lists) 

Week 2: It’s learning*! (*But requires someone to hold its hand)

• from the book: Chapter 3--How Exactly Does It Learn? & Chapter 4--It’s Trying (pp. 61-139, approximately 78 pages with illustrations and lists)

Week 3: It's riding a bike [with various training wheels]! 

• from the book: Chapter 5--What Are You Really Asking For?, Chapter 6-- Hacking the Matrix, or AI Finds a Way, & Chapter 7--Unfortunate Shortcuts (pp. 140-184, approximately 44 pages with illustrations)

Week 4: What do we expect of it? 

• Chapter 8-- Is an AI Brain Like a Human Brain?, Chapter 9--Human Bots (Where Can You Not Expect to See AI?), Chapter 10--A Human AI Partnership, & Conclusion--Life Among Our Artificial Friends (pp. 185-235, approximately 50 pages with pictures, illustrations, and lists)
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