Publishers Weekly
★ 11/18/2024
This superlative study from Oxford University neuroscientist Summerfield (Natural General Intelligence) explores how large language models work and the thorny questions they raise. He explains that neural networks learn by guessing the relationships between data points and developing “weights” that prioritize the processing pathways most likely to produce correct answers. Wading into debates around whether LLMs possess knowledge or merely proffer predictions, Summerfield makes the provocative argument that human learning is essentially predictive, depending on the same trial-and-error strategy LLMs use. According to the author, this indicates human knowledge is comparable to AI knowledge. Summerfield is remarkably levelheaded in his assessment of AI’s capabilities, suggesting that while obstacles to designing AI assistants that can book trips and pay bills may be resolved in the next several years, it’s unlikely LLMs will ever become sentient given their inability to experience physical sensation. The lucid analysis also makes clear that technological improvements will never overcome such pitfalls as determining when to provide answers as definitive or up for debate, since such problems depend on subjective judgment. By inquiring into the nature of knowledge and consciousness, Summerfield brings some welcome nuance and clarity to discussions of LLMs. In a crowded field of AI primers, this rises to the top. Agent: Rebecca Carter, Rebecca Carter Literary. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
An erudite history of artificial intelligence research… Weaving colorful anecdotes from history and pop culture into threads of philosophy, linguistics and computer science, [Summerfield] unspools how the latest models work by first explaining what didn’t work along the way, and why. It’s an approach that both demystifies ChatGPT and clarifies what made it such a breakthrough.”—The Washington Post
“A deep dive into the intersection of human intelligence and artificial intelligence.... This book is an eye-opening exploration of a revolution unfolding before our eyes.”—The New York Journal of Books
“A compelling and insightful exploration of large language models (LLMs) and their profound world impact. This work is both a great introduction to artificial intelligence and a thought-provoking analysis of its capabilities and limitations…. A key addition to collections, this is more than just another tech book: it’s a guide to navigating the era of AI with awareness, and the writing encourages readers to think critically about how humans interact with the technology.”—Library Journal
“A clear-minded, accessible examination of how AI systems work.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Provocative… Summerfield brings some welcome nuance and clarity to discussions of LLMs. In a crowded field of AI primers, this rises to the top.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“An engaging, insightful, and panoramic survey of where we are, why we got here, and what it means. A brilliant guide to the most important technology of our times.”—Mustafa Suleyman, coauthor of The Coming Wave
“Witty, brilliant, and deeply thought through – by far the best guide to a newly emerging species with which we will share the planet for the foreseeable future.”—Stuart Russell, author of Human Compatible
“As a leading authority in both computational neuroscience and the social impacts of AI, Christopher Summerfield is perfectly situated to explore the meaning and implications of these machines that are so uncannily like—and unlike—ourselves.”—Brian Christian, coauthor of Algorithms to Live By
“We are at a unique moment in human history, with powerful general-purpose AI tools available for the first time. But how do these weird tools work? How will they develop? And what does it mean for humanity? Chris Summerfield takes us on a tour of this astonishing new technology, and helps us to understand the issues it raises. You might choose to be alarmed, excited, or indifferent to LLMs, but you should read Chris’s book before you decide.”—Michael Wooldridge, author of A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence
"With clarity, insight, and wit, Christopher Summerfield dives beneath the ever-breaking wave of large language models to reveal the deeper principles at play, and the challenges and opportunities these powerful new technologies present. An essential and highly readable guide to thinking about how, and whether, computers can think, what’s coming next, and what we should do about it.”—Anil Seth, author of Being You
Library Journal
02/07/2025
Neuroscientist and AI researcher Summerfield (cognitive neuroscience, Oxford Univ.; Natural General Intelligence: How Understanding the Brain Can Help Us Build AI), in his first book for a general audience, offers a compelling and insightful exploration of large language models (LLMs) and their profound world impact. This work is both a great introduction to artificial intelligence and a thought-provoking analysis of its capabilities and limitations. Summerfield takes readers through the surprising history of AI, revealing how chatbots such as ChatGPT and Bard have evolved to become human-like in their responses. Key questions and concerns addressed: can AI truly "think" or "understand?" Whose biases do these systems reflect? Can they deceive humanity, and how would we know if they are? Does AI pose a genuine threat to humanity? Summerfield balances technical insight and philosophical reflection and summarizes AI concepts without oversimplifying them, making this book appealing to tech enthusiasts, professionals, and any readers curious about the rapidly advancing field. VERDICT A key addition to collections, this is more than just another tech book: it's a guide to navigating the era of AI with awareness, and the writing encourages readers to think critically about how humans interact with the technology.—Susan McClellan
Kirkus Reviews
2025-01-07
A closeup look at the large language models that have radically changed computer technology.
The world fundamentally changed when artificial intelligence systems learned to talk, says this intriguing book. It meant that humans no longer had a monopoly on cooperation, knowledge generation and sharing, and conceptualization. Summerfield, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at the University of Oxford and a staff research scientist at Google DeepMind, is well placed to explain the origins and nature of the large language models (or LLMs) that have taken AI systems to a more advanced level. He is wary of this new generation, concerned that they are developing faster than the means of human control. While acknowledging that LLMs can be very useful at organizing and providing information, the author provides plenty of examples of dangers they could unleash, including fake legal cases or stock market crashes. Developers have tried to prevent these risks by providing more context for AI responses, but that raises the issue of AI systems reflecting the biases of the programmers. The fact that LLM-informed systems can communicate with each other also means that some things occur without human involvement. Does all this mean that the systems “think?” Summerfield’s conclusion: Whatever they’re doing looks a lot like it. The key problem is that we are plunging ahead with ever-smarter systems without understanding their impact, and Summerfield thus calls for coordinated research into the field from developers, regulators, and governments. “The era we have just entered—where AI can speak, both to us and to each other—is a watershed moment,” Summerfield writes. “We don’t yet understand what it will mean for humanity, but it’s going to be exciting—and slightly terrifying—to find out.”
A clear-minded, accessible examination of how AI systems work.
