Hello World cover art

Hello World

How to Be Human in the Age of the Machine

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Hello World

By: Hannah Fry
Narrated by: Hannah Fry
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About this listen

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Hello World, written and read by Hannah Fry.

You are accused of a crime. Who would you rather determined your fate – a human or an algorithm?

An algorithm is more consistent and less prone to error of judgement. Yet a human can look you in the eye before passing sentence.
You need a liver transplant to save your life. Who would you want in charge of organ allocation?
An algorithm can match organ donors with patients, potentially saving many more lives. But it may send you to the back of the queue.
You’re buying a (driverless) car. One vehicle is programmed to save as many lives as possible in a collision. Another promises to prioritize the lives of its passengers. Which do you choose?
Welcome to the age of the algorithm, the story of a not-too-distant future where machines rule supreme, making important decisions – in healthcare, transport, finance, security, what we watch, where we go even who we send to prison. So how much should we rely on them? What kind of future do we want?

Hannah Fry takes us on a tour of the good, the bad and the downright ugly of the algorithms that surround us. In Hello World she lifts the lid on their inner workings, demonstrates their power, exposes their limitations, and examines whether they really are an improvement on the humans they are replacing.

'Wise, sharp and witty, the definitive guide to living in the age of social media, algorithms and automation.' Adam Rutherford

©2018 Hannah Fry (P)2018 Random House Audiobooks
Law Physics Programming Programming & Software Development Science Social Sciences Software Development Technology Software Thought-Provoking Inspiring

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Critic reviews

A stylish, thoughtful, and scrupulously fair-minded account of what the software that increasingly governs our lives can and cannot do ... A beautifully accessible guide that leaps lightly from one story to the next without sparing the reader hard questions... deserves a place in the bestseller charts. (Oliver Moody)
With refreshing simplicity, Fry explains what AI, machine learning and complicated algorithms really mean, providing some succinct explanations of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, driverless cars and many other unnerving modern phenomena…This book illustrates why good science writers are essential. (Katy Guest)
Brilliantly clear...Fry succinctly outlines the ethical issues that beset AI (James McConnaiche)
All stars
Most relevant
Where does the line lie? A very fascinating subject, projected through someone who has a dynamic grasp of the content at hand. What’s great about this is that there’s a good philosophical middle ground to really get a good scrum out when confront where human projects meats cold mathematics.

A great listen and a definite recommendation to all.

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Thoroughly enjoyable.

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Thoroughly enjoyable journey through some of the world of algorithms with just enough detail to be understood by mortals and sprinkled with Hannah’s humour!

Enlightening

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Write your review here (optional) ... well clearly it isn't. Enjoyed it very much. Well read by the author too, like you're being let into a series of little secrets.

Fascinating insight into the use/misuse of data

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Brilliantly written. Witty and insightful. Unlike many similar books Hannah does not come down heavily for or against AI but shares many other learned peoples views and opinions. With the added benefit of giving an example of where certain algorithm's have been a benefit or failure past and present, this book is a riveting read. I would recommend this to "Geeks" and "Technophobes" alike.

"Algorithm's will inherit the earth".

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Nothing earth shattering but a thoroughly enjoyable reading, perfectly narrated by the author who sounds like a consummate actor (you can tell she’s the writer). Highly recommended, the chapter about art is the best introduction ever to the tv series Westworld

Amazingly well written

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