Technology Ethics

Technology rules us as much as laws do. It shapes the legal, social, and ethical environments in which we act. Every time we cross a street, drive a car, or go to the doctor, we submit to the silent power of technology. Yet, much of the time, the influence of technology on our lives goes unchallenged by citizens and our elected representatives. Our embrace of novel technological pathways, Sheila Jasanoff shows, leads to a complex interplay among technology, ethics, and human rights.

Just months ago, millions of people were stunned by ChatGPT's amazing abilities–and its bizarre hallucinations. But that was 2022. GPT-4 is now here, with smarter, more accurate, and deeper technical knowledge. GPT-4 and its competitors and followers are on the verge of transforming medicine. But with lives on the line, you need to understand these technologies–stat.

Is it game over for humanity? The essential guide to our most dangerous invention. Our fears about artificial general intelligence go deep. They touch on our very identity as thinking, feeling creatures, and on our place in the universe. Are we creating our own successor? And might this creation be a god? In this vital contribution, leading researcher and author Professor Toby Walsh explores the existential risks posed by our accelerating efforts to realise an AI-powered future.

In 1968, Stewart Brand declared: 'We are as gods - and we might as well get good at it.' Half a century later, that prophecy has come true. We can rewrite genes, edit embryos, build artificial minds, extend life, and terraform worlds. The old miracles - omniscience, omnipresence, even...

"An absolute must-read for anyone interested not just in big tech, but in what it takes to not lose your soul in modern-day America." —Naomi Fry, staff writer at The New Yorker A whip-smart, darkly funny, and timely memoir of one woman’s twelve years inside Google and her transformation from...

THE FOLLOW UP TO THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER THE AGE OF AI In his final book, the late Henry Kissinger joins forces with two leading technologists to mount a profound exploration of the epochal challenges and opportunities presented by the revolution in Artificial Intelligence. As it absorbs...

What happens when artificial intelligence saturates political life and depletes the planet? How is AI shaping our understanding of ourselves and our societies? Drawing on more than a decade of research, award-winning scholar Kate Crawford reveals how AI is a technology of extraction: from the minerals drawn from the earth, to the labor pulled from low-wage information workers, to the data taken from every action and expression. This book reveals how this planetary network is fueling a shift toward undemocratic governance and increased inequity.  

Shannon Vallor makes a wide-ranging, prophetic, and philosophical case for what AI could be: a way to reclaim our human potential for moral and intellectual growth, rather than lose ourselves in mirrors of the past. Rejecting prophecies of doom, she encourages us to pursue technology that helps us recover our sense of the possible, and with it the confidence and courage to repair a broken world. Vallor calls us to rethink what AI is and can be, and what we want to be with it.

Bloomsbury presents The Love of Analog: Meditations on Value by Darren Hudson Hick read by John Chancer Vinyl records. Board games. Paperback books. Film. A philosopher dives into the analog world to show what it offers us and what it says about our values. Packed with first-person anecdotes...

No longer an uncertain technology of the distant future, artificial intelligence is starting to shape every aspect of our daily lives, from how we think to who we love. In this urgent polemic, leading barrister Susie Alegre explores the ways in which artificial intelligence threatens our...

Brought to you by Penguin. How much light is too much light? The Darkness Manifesto urges us to cherish natural darkness for the sake of the environment, our own wellbeing, and all life on earth. The world's flora and fauna have evolved to operate in the natural cycle of day and night. But...

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more dynamic and ubiquitous, it is dramatically empowering people in all walks of life while also giving rise to urgent questions about the future of humanity—a historic challenge whose contours and consequences are revealed by three eminent thinkers in...

Kant published this work in 1795, during the aftermath of the American Revolution and the French Revolution. The high hopes of the European Enlightenment had been dampened by the Reign of Terror in which tens of thousands of people died, and the perpetual cycle of war and temporary armistice seemed to be inescapable. Kant's essay is best known as an early articulation of the idea of a league of nations that could bring an end to all hostilities. Today, the United Nations continues to pursue that dream, but lasting peace still seems to be wishful thinking.

Power corrupts―as we've seen time and time again. People too often abuse their power and play god in the lives of others. Shady politicians, corrupt executives and ego-filled media stars have made us suspicious of those who wield influence and authority. They too often breed injustice by...

“Read this if you want to understand how to shape our technological future and reinvigorate democracy along the way.”—Reed Hastings, cofounder and CEO of Netflix ""A triumph: an analysis of the critical challenges facing our digital society that is as accessible as it is sophisticated.""...

Machines in rebellion, humanity on the brink . . . Lila Stanislaw, a freelance analyst with a roster of foreign clients, is summoned by the U.S. government to hunt down a mysterious threat. She joins a team of strangers with pasts as colorful as her own. The mission spirals when they discover...

Artificial intelligence is no longer just technology; it is a profound shift in political power and algorithmic justice. Perfect for an engaging commute, this thought-provoking deep dive explores who holds authority in our increasingly automated world. Whether you are navigating algorithmic...

Will technology usher in a new future or have we gone too far? Unprecedented developments in bioengineering, biotechnology, and biomedicine breakthroughs that could improve the lives of people with debilitating diseases and injuries can also serve as stepping-stones to technologies that can...

Artificial intelligence has long been a mainstay of science fiction and increasingly it feels as if AI is entering our everyday lives, with technology like Apple’s Siri now prominent, and self-driving cars almost upon us. But what do we actually mean when we talk about ‘AI’? Are the...

Navigate the collision of artificial intelligence and digital life to protect your human identity in an automated future. Whether seeking deep focus during a long commute or reflecting on rapid societal shifts, this thought-provoking journey delivers urgent clarity. It bridges historical...