My free 100 page non-technical book about the impact of AI in society, employment, etc...feedback and collaborations welcome. We are in for a rough ride, but the destination is great

Submitted by ronin_khan t3_10a5bb2 in Futurology

You can download "Beautiful tsunami: understanding life and thriving in the age of AI" from the website javiermarti.co.uk //Just wanted to show you the book. Lots of work went into it. I discuss the societal impact of the technology, what you can do to try to protect yourself from the bad outcomes, why things are the way they are and how they may be... sooner than we think... // I hope you enjoy it. Have a look and tell me what you think and what you agree or disagree with! PS - Sorry for minor defects you may find. I just finished it and am still editing, but wanted you reddit guys to be some of the first ones to read it

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fwubglubbel t1_j44pjqh wrote

Don't waste your time with this book unless you are into right wing nutjob conspiracy theories. It starts with some nonsensical gibberish from a techno-illiterate techstock snake oil salesman claiming that Moore's Law has been exponentially surpassed by "AI computing power", whatever that means.

Then it talks about "important and urgent challenges affecting employment trends" where it refers to the COVID-19 pandemic as "biological agents released into the environment" and vaccine side effects as "Therapeutic-related Injuries", quoting the conspiracy website Gateway Pundit as a source.

It also refers to COVID restrictions as "sate-provoked blockages to their ability to make a living" (sic).

That's when I stopped reading.

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ronin_khan OP t1_j45484b wrote

Thank you for your constructive comment. All feedback is good feedback and an opportunity to grow and learn.

>> Don't waste your time with this book

I agree with you, nobody should waste their time, and that's one of the main messages of the book. I agree with you

>> unless you are into right wing nutjob conspiracy theories

Well, I see you did not read the rest of the book, or you would have seen that I am not either into right wing or left wing anything. Precisely I consider that we are being manipulated into division through these imaginary lines of thought / philosophies. I hope not, but your comment could be an example of it

>> It starts with some nonsensical gibberish from a techno-illiterate techstock snake oil salesman

lol that was great and very creative. I've been called things before, but never that one. I like it!

>> snake oil salesman

Well, this is an interesting point. I am not actually trying to sell you anything, including the book, that is free, but ok.

>> where it refers to the COVID-19 pandemic as "biological agents released into the environment"

The exact paragraph you're quoting is "Release of biological agents into the environment – As we have seen in the 2020 sanitary crisis, whether real or hyped by the media, threats to our individual health and how we deal with them, can affect our present and future, in very radical ways. Unfortunately, our apparent inability to learn from our past actions in these areas is also responsible for creating and perpetuating social conditions that may result in further psychological and economic damage to our societies."

Perhaps I should explain myself better in that paragraph, as I wasn't talking about the COVID-19 pandemic so much in that, as to the COVID-19 pandemic and anything else that may be proven to be the release by someone -anyone- into the environment. For example, the sarin gas attack in the Tokyo metro many years ago.

Nanotechnology and other technologies make it easier than ever before for anyone to create potentially dangerous substances that can effect great harm to those exposed to them, either in a temporary o persistent manner.

Please suggest a better way to explain it if you wish, and I'll consider changing that paragraph. I did not want my book to be written by an AI, and I needed each point to be brief, so those constraints -and the fact I am writing in my second language- prevent me from detailing exactly what you mean.

>> and vaccine side effects as "Therapeutic-related Injuries"

Unfortunately, as you can see on my source in that comment and other information appearing on the news every day, the American Heart Association and others, not me, are finding that whatever we were given during the pandemic, may be harmful, at least for some people. If you don't agree, I understand, we can all have an opinion, but it's not what the American Heart Association's researchers seems to have found or are saying. And you will agree with me that if the "experts" say so, one way or another, it must be true, otherwise, if we don't believe the experts, we run the risk of becoming right wing nutjob conspiracy theorists, and we don't want that.

>> quoting the conspiracy website Gateway Pundit as a source.

Unfortunately I don't have time to research in depth the present and past actions of each website I quote, or know exactly what they have written in the past. My sources are just an invitation for people to learn more about what I say. If I am wrong I am open to a constructive debate on where I am wrong. If you have a better link, please post it here and we can all learn from it. I am interested in the TRUTH above anything else, so if I am wrong show me and I'll tell you "you're right", no problem. Precisely everyone thinking that they hold THE TRUTH and they can't be wrong, is a big part of our problem.

Edit: I have now updated the link to the exact study instead, coming from a website owned by the American Medical Association, as stated in the terms of use of the website. Thanks for your suggestion.

>> It also refers to COVID restrictions as "sate-provoked blockages to their ability to make a living"

Yes, I could have been much harsher on that point, but I wanted to be diplomatic. I know some people who had to close their business due to this, and it led to banruptcy of a perfectly functioning business, divorce and important trauma for the family. I am not sure we should have been so quick to stop society so rapidly, yes, and I think the power of the state to prevent individuals from making a living should be used very carefully.

We must understand that not in every country people had government subsidies. In some countries people were just left out of options.

>> That's when I stopped reading.

It's good that you stopped reading. I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable, or to find out that I am apolitical, when you read more of the book. We should only read books from authors we agree with and like. That's the way forward!

Thanks again for your comment. I have a bit of a different opinion on engaging with people who think differently from me, and I think I can learn from everyone. And thanks again for your description of me. Made me laugh! I think I'll never forget it

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fwubglubbel t1_j45ag0u wrote

>It starts with some nonsensical gibberish from a techno-illiterate techstock snake oil salesman

That wasn't referring to you, but your source, Jeff Brown, who obviously knows nothing about technology. He just hawks get rich quick investment schemes (if he really knew how to get rich from tech stocks, he wouldn't have to sell investment advice for a living).

The graph he uses shows a single line with Moore's law, then "AI computing usage", which has nothing to do with Moore's law. It's like saying that buses are faster than race cars because the use of buses has increased.

The fact that neither you nor your source understand that loses you all credibility.

The same thing with the COVID nonsense. Whether you are apolitical or not, your source is a right wing nutjob conspiracy website.

You need fact based, peer reviewed, credible sources in order to write a useful book.

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ronin_khan OP t1_j45bkl9 wrote

I see what you mean, but your assertions seem a bit radical. X person "knows nothing about technology". Y person "loses all credibility"...Z thing is "covid nonsense". What makes you so angry? Ok let's see. Your point about that source is taken, and I'll review the paragraph or consider removing the quote from Brown, if it creates confusion. My point is that growth is exponential, not linear. Yes, Moore's law was about processing capacity.

Regarding my "conspiracy" source, I have already changed it to the original source, and made a comment in the other post, that you may have overlooked, and it's ok. The new source is the original study, posted on a website owned by the American Medical Association, cited elsewhere in this post (I think a few lines up). I hope you're happy with the change, or that association is also without credibility for you?

Regarding sources, I don't agree with you that only peer-reviewed sources are credible, as you seem to imply. We only have to look at what's happening int he world to see that the "experts" know a lot less than we thought, even if "peer reviewed".

I also disagree that a book cannot be useful just because you disagreew with it in some points. You may want to consider to just take what is useful and discard the rest. We can learn from everyone and everything.

Thanks for your feedback again!

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abjedhowiz t1_j465gr9 wrote

I didn’t read it but I think its an opinion piece and should be read as fiction. I’m sure if he wrote it well from the perspective of fiction it would sell well. Like The Circle. When anyone blabs about society the way they see it, I’m not sure what genre that fits into. I think they fictionalize it further to make it fit into the fiction genre. Or is this a new type of genre for our day and age without publishers and peer review. Much just like how people digest info from social media comments.

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CircaSixty8 t1_j46dgno wrote

Wait you didn't read it, but you have all this to say about it?

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CircaSixty8 t1_j42576t wrote

I obviously haven't read it yet, but what an impressive achievement!

Edit: 20 pages in and this is indeed very easy to read. A lot of very interesting and useful information here.

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ronin_khan OP t1_j42651r wrote

Thank you! I'll be here to answer any questions anyone may have. I trust your powerful minds will enjoy the book and somehow find it useful. Even if just a part of it made someone think, or see a different angle on this very important issue... that would be cool.

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QuestionableAI t1_j429nds wrote

Thank you. I will read it and get back to you. Very generous of you.

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ronin_khan OP t1_j42binb wrote

No problem! I made it free so everyone can read it asap. Regardless of our culture, country or colour, I think it's quite urgent we wake up and work together to change things asap...the enemy is not AI but the way it may be implemented. It's a double-edged sword. We must re-take control. Current politicians of any colour are not going to help us or save us, that's clear. Please let me know what you think when you finish!

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Rajvagli t1_j43zmh4 wrote

Hi, I’m interested in your book, but would like to know your credentials. What gives you insight into how AI will impact the world.

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ronin_khan OP t1_j4570ln wrote

What credentials exactly would make you read it? What kinds of books do you read and by what authors? If I know that I may tell you if reading it is a good investment of your time or not.

>> What gives you insight into how AI will impact the world.

If you are talking about technical credentials, I have taught myself data science and managed a technology company in the past. However, my book is not technical or for a technical audience. I am not sure I understand exactly what you mean or what you want. If you tell me more what kind of credentials would make you happy, I can tell you if I have them or not.

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Rajvagli t1_j46oo8q wrote

I am asking because why should I read a book you wrote about how AI will impact society? Who are you and why should your opinion (because you are saying you don’t actually have credentials) matter?

I wasn’t trying to be a jerk, credentials matter.

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ronin_khan OP t1_j46vkch wrote

I understand, don't worry. Don't read it, if you're so much into credentials it's probably not for you and I don't want you to waste your time. I am serious, not trying to be a jerk either. I am just a very curious person and so I can't understand your point of view. Thanks anyway for your comment Rajvagli. If you read it anyway, let me know what you think after!

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dbtng t1_j45e1dy wrote

It's a rough read, man. I couldn't take too much of it, so I sampled around to get your gist. Probly read about 10 pages total. Comments below. And good luck with it.

  • You spend a bit too much time directly referring to yourself. You are not the subject of the book. Rip all that out, rephrase such sections. Get over yourself.

  • It sounds like a lecture. Really, a college lecture. Look at all the directives here. Seems almost rude, condescending. If you want folks to read your text, you must invite them to do so, rather than command them. Page 40
    >Let’s now discuss in more detail how our political systems will deal with, and manage, the problem of increasing automation in the workplace and the impact it is having on workers. As stated, the age of artificial intelligence will create a situation in which many jobs are at risk of being replaced by machines. This is leading to a decline in wages for many workers and leaving them unemployed and struggling to make a living. Notice that the change we are talking about could leave 90% of the people you know unemployed, and unemployable.

  • The text dives into concepts that are really just your own beliefs unless we see some introduction and backing first ... and that backing is not provided. Here, look at this paragraph from page 20. You jump concepts from easily available capital to unprofitable businesses to disruptors to investment fraud and economy of scale. You did that in one sentence, almost like the reader is expected to understand your mental shorthand. And then you wander into a tirade about "free" web services ... where you apparently haven't gotten the memo that if a service is free, you are the product ... and then that section of the book is done. If you had a point to make here, you've failed. And I do think I know where you were going. Start over here from the term "false growth". Explain what you mean carefully. Use an example or two, hopefully of real companies and events. Support what you are saying.

>The “everything free” economy and false growth – The abundance of money supporting unprofitable businesses in the last decades, particularly in the tech sector, has led to the emergence of a ridiculous culture of “moving fast and breaking things”, and running businesses that are totally unprofitable, in the hopes that a greater fool will buy our investment in that business from us, or that fast, international expansion will allow the company to figure out a profitable business model later down the line.

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ronin_khan OP t1_j45fx8h wrote

Thanks for writing that dbtng! Will carefully look at your points one by one and how I can improve on my writing. It´s unfortunate you only read 10 pages, but I understand. If there's one or more interesting books on this topic you would recommend, please let me know. If they´re not technical better, since the technical aspects of all this interest me less than the societal ones, as you can see.

I agree with you about talking about yourself. Will check that too. People don't care about us, they care about them. You're right. Any particular passage that annoyed you?

It's hard to write about all these concepts when you want to be brief, but yes, I understand that the "everything free" point may be confusing. Will revise.

About "if the service is free, the product is you", you're wrong, I "got the memo" and I know this concept very well for many years now...but didn't want to use such cliche we have all heard 1000 times, also in this book. My biggest challenge was to try to make the book short and stay on topic, make it clear for people that read probably a lot less than you or me. As you can see I also think in the form of many threads at once, so herding all the cats is hard sometimes and the writing may get confusing to readers. (one of my previous books was 348 pages precisely because I wanted to make each point in detail...and I didn´t want to torture my readers that way again! This time I prefer to point them in one direction, and then my book to complement what they already know with interesting points or ideas...or for the book to be a good introduction to someone completely unrelated to reddit, futurology, etc.. I wanted it to be more a book that a non-tech family member could understand)

About "an example or two" and giving examples of real companies...I agree with you would have been better, and believe me, I had many in mind, but I didn't want to date the book by referring too much to current events. Due to its nature, the book is not evergreen anyway, but I didn't want it to sound old two months down the line either.

Thanks again. I appreciate constructive criticism

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dbtng t1_j45gg7f wrote

You seem earnestly interested in producing the best book you can. Writing can be a painful process. Stick to the point. Use direct sentences and action verbs. Use examples to illustrate the concepts you introduce to your readers. And ... for the type of writing you are doing, source your opinions. Again, good luck. Climb that hill.

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ronin_khan OP t1_j45h22w wrote

Thanks man, yes, I am, and you can't imagine how much comments like yours help! It's painful, yes. You've done it too? If so link me to it, I am interested. Also, if you ever have the time to read more of the book and want to let me know more weaknesses of it, I am all ears. It's not nice when someone criticizes your work, but it's necessary. My work is not perfect but can be better with feedback like yours, if I am willing to leave my ego aside and listen.

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Cionite t1_j46hvb8 wrote

Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to write this book.

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ronin_khan OP t1_j46vtuj wrote

Thanks to you, for your positive comment. I hope it's useful to you somehow and it gives you a new idea or helps you to see a different angle on thoughts you were already having! Let me know what you think when you finish it! All feedback welcome.

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General_HetChromio t1_j43d9uj wrote

Thank you for releasing this. I've downloaded it and will give it a read shortly. I'm working on a book in a similar vein about the importance of cultivating harmony within ourselves and our social systems, possible pathways to achieve that goal, and the importance of developing AI that is designed to promote harmony within human systems and interact harmoniously with those systems. Perhaps we can talk once I've finished your book and bounce around some ideas.

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ronin_khan OP t1_j43lu0c wrote

Sure! As you'll see in my book, I think collaboration is essential to start the fires that will allow us to somehow make the most out of this. Certainly balance is also very important. I'll be curious to read your book too when you finish it

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