Chapter One of SCARY SMART opens with a scene straight out of a sci-fi thriller: the dawn of artificial intelligence. Except, plot twist—it’s not sci-fi anymore; it’s our Tuesday morning reality. Mo Gawdat kicks things off by reminding us that AI isn’t coming—it’s already here, sipping coffee and quietly running our lives. Every time you shout, “Hey, Siri!” or trust Google Maps to avoid traffic (which it often doesn’t), you’re playing a bit part in AI’s origin story.
Here’s the kicker: AI doesn’t learn like we do—it learns faster. Like, scary-fast. Imagine teaching a toddler how to walk, and within an hour, they’re training for the Olympics. That’s AI’s vibe. Gawdat introduces us to a concept called Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI), which is basically your Alexa—good at one thing, like playing Spotify. But the real fun begins with Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), which could outthink us on pretty much everything. And then there’s Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), where the machines get so smart they might write better blog posts than me. Terrifying.
But wait, there’s more! This isn’t just about how smart AI can get; it’s about how clueless we’ve been while creating it. Gawdat points out that we’ve treated AI like a fancy gadget rather than a world-changing entity. It’s like we built a rocket ship and forgot to discuss where it’s going—or whether we packed enough snacks.
He doesn’t just wag his finger, though. He throws down the gauntlet: this technology is growing up in ‘our’ house. What it becomes—wise philosopher or rebellious teenager—is on us. AI is a mirror, reflecting our collective choices, behaviors, and, unfortunately, cat memes.
So, Chapter One serves as a polite but urgent tap on the shoulder: “Hey, humanity, you might want to pay attention.” AI isn’t just here to stay; it’s on a steep learning curve, and we’re in the driver’s seat. For now.
Stick around—next chapter, we’ll explore how AI feels about all this (spoiler: it doesn’t, ….. yet). And as always, let’s keep it light, insightful, and just a little bit scared.
