First published 2012
Christopher Steiner explores how algorithms have infiltrated nearly every corner of modern life. He traces the rise of automated systems that now diagnose medical conditions, interpret legal contracts, analyze international relations, and produce news articles. These programs began with basic human programming but have evolved far beyond their original scope. Steiner examines the May 2010 Flash Crash, when trading algorithms caused a 998-point market plunge and erased $1 trillion in value within minutes. He introduces readers to bots that compose haiku, create music that sounds like Bach, and monitor customer service interactions. Some algorithms select optimal astronaut crews for space missions or predict the next breakout sports star like Jeremy Lin. Others generate sports journalism that readers cannot distinguish from human writing. Steiner investigates what happens when machines control hospitals, transportation networks, cultural production, and national defense systems. He questions the future of human workers as algorithms replace judgment and intuition in fields ranging from medicine and law to trucking and writing.
Genres: business, non-fiction, 21st-century, artificial-intelligence, computer-science, algorithms
Vibes: analytical, informative, thought-provoking
Tropes: analytical, informative
256 pages · Hardcover · Portfolio