How Big Tech is taking advantage of us, how AI is making it worse, and how we can create a thriving, AI-positive world.
On balance, will AI help humanity or harm it? AI could revolutionize science, medicine, and technology, and deliver us a world of abundance and better health. Or it could be a disaster, leading to the downfall of democracy, or even our extinction. In Taming Silicon Valley, Gary Marcus, one of the most trusted voices in AI, explains that we still have a choice. And that the decisions we make now about AI will shape our next century. In this short but powerful manifesto, Marcus explains how Big Tech is taking advantage of us, how AI could make things much worse, and, most importantly, what we can do to safeguard our democracy, our society, and our future.
Marcus explains the potential—and potential risks—of AI in the clearest possible terms and how Big Tech has effectively captured policymakers. He begins by laying out what is lacking in current AI, what the greatest risks of AI are, and how Big Tech has been playing both the public and the government, before digging into why the US government has thus far been ineffective at reining in Big Tech. He then offers real tools for readers, including eight suggestions for what a coherent AI policy should look like—from data rights to layered AI oversight to meaningful tax reform—and closes with how ordinary citizens can push for what is so desperately needed.
Taming Silicon Valley is both a primer on how AI has gotten to its problematic present state and a book of activism in the tradition of Abbie Hoffman’s Steal This Book and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. It is a deeply important book for our perilous historical moment that every concerned citizen must read.
Contents Preface: If we don't change course, we will lose society as we know it 1. The seven biggest threats of inaction 2. The moral descent of Silicon Valley 3. Eight things we should insist on 4. The time for action is now
Included in the New Yorker's Best Books of 2024 list Featured in the New Yorker, the New York Review of Books, Politico, Big Think, Bloomberg TV, LARB, Foreign Policy, Marketplace, IEEE Spectrum, Forbes, the Next Big Idea Club, the Guardian, Fortune, and more
"This polemic, by a cognitive scientist and startup founder, calls for stricter regulation of A.I. It begins with problems posed by generative A.I. (the kind that spits out text, images, and other data, and which currently fuels the largest A.I. companies’ businesses). These include misinformation, pornographic deepfakes, impersonation scams, and the use of publicly available material as training data, which Marcus equates to a “land grab.” His warnings are framed by critiques of A.I. development’s current direction, which has privileged deep learning over potentially more fruitful methods, and of what he argues is the tech industry’s moral decline." —The New Yorker's "Briefly Noted"
"With passion and expertise, Marcus sounds a strong call to action." —Kirkus Reviews, KIRKUS STAR “Marcus also makes a persuasive case for more ambitious policies, arguing that because AI will likely render some jobs obsolete, the federal government should consider instituting a universal basic income to cushion those affected. Shrewd and levelheaded, this provides plenty to ponder.” —Publishers Weekly
"An honest must read...very accessible. It paints a very clear picture of both the benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence. We need to prepare for, not react to, the coming changes. Reacting will be too late. The danger is that governments tend to move too slowly while a few tech corporations are moving much faster and in questionable directions. Reading this book will help people understand that we need to pressure governments now to move faster so that we can gain the benefits while minimizing the risks inherent in AI." —Forbes
“[A] sweeping polemic about how Big Tech will run roughshod over consumers and American democracy itself absent regulatory intervention.” —Politico
“Mighty.” —The New York Review of Books “I recommend reading Taming Silicon Valley if you’re unfamiliar with the main concerns about generative AI and its leading commercial developers. For those with a vague sense of unease, it will provide a detailed explanation of specific risks.” —The Los Angeles Review of Books
“The book should be required reading for anyone whose life will be touched in any small part by AI, which is pretty much everyone today. . . As always, Marcus writes in a strong voice that moves through the material in a breezy, commanding style, backed by a solid command of science and technology.” —ZDNET
How Big Tech is taking advantage of us, how AI is making it worse, and how we can create a thriving, AI-positive world.
On balance, will AI help humanity or harm it? AI could revolutionize science, medicine, and technology, and deliver us a world of abundance and better health. Or it could be a disaster, leading to the downfall of democracy, or even our extinction. In Taming Silicon Valley, Gary Marcus, one of the most trusted voices in AI, explains that we still have a choice. And that the decisions we make now about AI will shape our next century. In this short but powerful manifesto, Marcus explains how Big Tech is taking advantage of us, how AI could make things much worse, and, most importantly, what we can do to safeguard our democracy, our society, and our future.
Marcus explains the potential—and potential risks—of AI in the clearest possible terms and how Big Tech has effectively captured policymakers. He begins by laying out what is lacking in current AI, what the greatest risks of AI are, and how Big Tech has been playing both the public and the government, before digging into why the US government has thus far been ineffective at reining in Big Tech. He then offers real tools for readers, including eight suggestions for what a coherent AI policy should look like—from data rights to layered AI oversight to meaningful tax reform—and closes with how ordinary citizens can push for what is so desperately needed.
Taming Silicon Valley is both a primer on how AI has gotten to its problematic present state and a book of activism in the tradition of Abbie Hoffman’s Steal This Book and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. It is a deeply important book for our perilous historical moment that every concerned citizen must read.
Table of Contents
Contents Preface: If we don't change course, we will lose society as we know it 1. The seven biggest threats of inaction 2. The moral descent of Silicon Valley 3. Eight things we should insist on 4. The time for action is now
Praise
Included in the New Yorker's Best Books of 2024 list Featured in the New Yorker, the New York Review of Books, Politico, Big Think, Bloomberg TV, LARB, Foreign Policy, Marketplace, IEEE Spectrum, Forbes, the Next Big Idea Club, the Guardian, Fortune, and more
"This polemic, by a cognitive scientist and startup founder, calls for stricter regulation of A.I. It begins with problems posed by generative A.I. (the kind that spits out text, images, and other data, and which currently fuels the largest A.I. companies’ businesses). These include misinformation, pornographic deepfakes, impersonation scams, and the use of publicly available material as training data, which Marcus equates to a “land grab.” His warnings are framed by critiques of A.I. development’s current direction, which has privileged deep learning over potentially more fruitful methods, and of what he argues is the tech industry’s moral decline." —The New Yorker's "Briefly Noted"
"With passion and expertise, Marcus sounds a strong call to action." —Kirkus Reviews, KIRKUS STAR “Marcus also makes a persuasive case for more ambitious policies, arguing that because AI will likely render some jobs obsolete, the federal government should consider instituting a universal basic income to cushion those affected. Shrewd and levelheaded, this provides plenty to ponder.” —Publishers Weekly
"An honest must read...very accessible. It paints a very clear picture of both the benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence. We need to prepare for, not react to, the coming changes. Reacting will be too late. The danger is that governments tend to move too slowly while a few tech corporations are moving much faster and in questionable directions. Reading this book will help people understand that we need to pressure governments now to move faster so that we can gain the benefits while minimizing the risks inherent in AI." —Forbes
“[A] sweeping polemic about how Big Tech will run roughshod over consumers and American democracy itself absent regulatory intervention.” —Politico
“Mighty.” —The New York Review of Books “I recommend reading Taming Silicon Valley if you’re unfamiliar with the main concerns about generative AI and its leading commercial developers. For those with a vague sense of unease, it will provide a detailed explanation of specific risks.” —The Los Angeles Review of Books
“The book should be required reading for anyone whose life will be touched in any small part by AI, which is pretty much everyone today. . . As always, Marcus writes in a strong voice that moves through the material in a breezy, commanding style, backed by a solid command of science and technology.” —ZDNET
