
The Alignment Problem
Machine Learning and Human Values
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Narrated by:
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Brian Christian
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By:
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Brian Christian
A jaw-dropping exploration of everything that goes wrong when we build AI systems and the movement to fix them.
Today’s “machine-learning” systems, trained by data, are so effective that we’ve invited them to see and hear for us - and to make decisions on our behalf. But alarm bells are ringing. Recent years have seen an eruption of concern as the field of machine learning advances. When the systems we attempt to teach will not, in the end, do what we want or what we expect, ethical and potentially existential risks emerge. Researchers call this the alignment problem.
Systems cull résumés until, years later, we discover that they have inherent gender biases. Algorithms decide bail and parole - and appear to assess Black and White defendants differently. We can no longer assume that our mortgage application, or even our medical tests, will be seen by human eyes. And as autonomous vehicles share our streets, we are increasingly putting our lives in their hands.
The mathematical and computational models driving these changes range in complexity from something that can fit on a spreadsheet to a complex system that might credibly be called “artificial intelligence.” They are steadily replacing both human judgment and explicitly programmed software.
In best-selling author Brian Christian’s riveting account, we meet the alignment problem’s “first-responders,” and learn their ambitious plan to solve it before our hands are completely off the wheel. In a masterful blend of history and on-the-ground reporting, Christian traces the explosive growth in the field of machine learning and surveys its current, sprawling frontier. Listeners encounter a discipline finding its legs amid exhilarating and sometimes terrifying progress. Whether they - and we - succeed or fail in solving the alignment problem will be a defining human story.
The Alignment Problem offers an unflinching reckoning with humanity’s biases and blind spots, our own unstated assumptions and often contradictory goals. A dazzlingly interdisciplinary work, it takes a hard look not only at our technology but at our culture - and finds a story by turns harrowing and hopeful.
©2020 Brian Christian (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...




















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I cannot emphasize in words how much I enjoyed it (perhaps in a word2vec it’s the infinity vector?) And I can’t wait for Brian’s next audiobook.
A must read to every data scientist👩🏼💻
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The amount of research that went into this book is astounding - Christian draws from interviews with the top figures in every aspect of the field. It’s written clearly and succinctly, in a way that should be accessible to any reader, regardless of their prior knowledge of the topic. It’s also narrated by the author in a clear and incisive voice. An overall fantastic experience.
Best overview of the topic I’ve read
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Good history of the problem
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The narration was great and the story was very interesting.
This book was very enlightening
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The quality of the book is solid, the scope is complete and the explanations are approachable. What sets this book apart is that this book talks at length about how the folks that are on the cutting edge of AI are attempting to make machines care about what humans care about. This is the "Alignment Problem".
Hands Down: the Best AI Book
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Every other sentence is thought provoking and spurred wholly new insights for me. I cannot recommend this one enough.
Phenomenal
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Excellent and broad introduction
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The author, in a very relatable way, ties the development of better learning systems to our collective understanding of how humans grow and learn.
Incredibly fascinating all the way through!
Enthralling
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Deep study of how we formulate and reinforce value systems into and through models
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Relevant and Engaging
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