First Light of Day: A Cautionary Tale of our Future Written by One of Today's Leading Experts on Technology Innovation

by Michael J.T. Steep

FIRST LIGHT OF DAY is two things. First, it's a compelling story wrapped around a disquieting look at life in 2045 in the aftermath of a technology revolution that profoundly changed the nature of society. Second, it's a non-fiction look at the technologies available today that make this revolution possible and even probable.

In the fictional, part one of the book, the world is on the brink of creating the first truly sentient machines. Technology has changed everything from travel and work to government and even personal relationships. Most developed societies are segregated between high-end knowledge workers who enjoy all the benefits of life in the new digital cities and the majority of the population who have been rendered economically superfluous. The characters' inner struggles are intellectual, philosophical and spiritual--and their time before losing control of their lives to their own creations is running out.

The second non-fiction part of the book provides an overview of the 10 categories of technology that play crucial roles in the story and are shaping our world today.

The author, Michael J.T. Steep, is the founder and executive director of the Disruptive Technology and Digital Cities Program at Stanford University School of Engineering and one of today's leading experts on technology innovation. He wrote this book as a cautionary tale for anyone who wonders about the impact of unchecked technology development currently underway.

Genres: Fiction

277 pages, Hardcover

Published January 30, 2020

Reviews

[Jeffrey Balash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Steep knows and understands the technology that underlies this potential future. In case you don't, he succinctly and cogently explains it in part two of this novel. For those who haven't gone down their tech learning curve, I suggest that you read Part Two first so you can understand the terminology, which will make the first part much more meaningful. I believe that Mike put Part Two where he did because the real fun and interest and insights in the book are the thrilling novel of Part I: A James Bond villain who wants to conquer the world who doesn't comprehend that the Russians are a step ahead of him through their treachery aided by some very intelligent Indians from the subcontinent. I've sent emails to about 150 "influencers" whom I know offering to send them a copy of this book. Mike also very thoughtfully juxtaposes this dystopian society of Britain against France, which has maintained its humanistic view of the world. Buy it and read it and then pass the book on to a friend.

[MrsEnginerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick enlightening read for AI enthusiasts and computer programers seeking to understand how to avoid Skynet from taking over the world to eradicate humans once it goes online. The ethical and moral questions explored will make any engineering major question how much freedom to take away from people in order to ensure safety and comfort. Made me realize that making it safely to old age could become a burden if we make the algorithms our guardians and custodians, because, as Mr Smith in The Matrix stated, humans are a virus...

Enjoy!

[Derek Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael J T Steep gives the reader a look into the future as he imagines it. The year is 2045. The book divided into two parts. In part one we have a villain who wants to conquer the world. Part two is nonfiction and technical. This is not my genre of reading material. I must admit that I had a hard time finishing the book. Thank you for the opportunity of receiving this book. I will pass it along.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing.

Being quickly left behind by technology advances. Feels like it was mostly written back in 2017 and for some reason not released until 2020.

Lack of attention to details.

Most references are 2017 or earlier. Poorly edited (even the CNN acronym is written CCN in places), cue instead of queue, etc.

The fictional story is shallow and simplistic. The non-fiction is dated and superficial.

This could have been great but unfortunately it isn’t.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. I was sorry when I reached the last page.