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Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe?
Will AI lead to the transformation of society as we know it, or bring about its destruction?
Join technology journalist, Geoff White (The Dark Web), on a journey to discover how AI is already disrupting our lives. From warfare to the world of work, and finance to fine art, we experience AI every day - often without realising. Its effects will only increase in the coming years.
Join technology journalist, Geoff White (The Dark Web), on a journey to discover how AI is already disrupting our lives. From warfare to the world of work, and finance to fine art, we experience AI every day - often without realising. Its effects will only increase in the coming years.
- GenresAudiobookNonfiction
Audible Audio
Published May 3, 2019
4 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Geoff White
15 books88 followersGeoff White is an author, speaker, investigative journalist and podcast creator. He has worked for the BBC, Audible, Penguin, Sky News, The Sunday Times and many more. In a career spanning 20 years he has covered everything from billion-dollar cyber heists to global money laundering rings and crypto-gangsters.
His new book, Rinsed, reveals technology’s impact on the world of money laundering and will be published by Penguin Random House in June 2024.
He has given keynote talks for some of the world’s biggest brands, including Microsoft, HSBC, Mastercard, Atos, Orange and Bank of America.
His last book, The Lazarus Heist – From Hollywood to High Finance: Inside North Korea’s Global Cyber War was published by Penguin Random House in June 2022, and is available now on Amazon, Waterstones, and Bookshop.org. It sprang from the hit 10-part BBC podcast series of the same name, which Geoff co-hosted and which immediately ranked number one in the UK Apple chart and within the top 7 in the US.
An experienced public speaker, he has given keynote talks at some of the UK’s largest conferences, in addition to hosting events and chairing panels at venues ranging from London’s Chatham House think-tank to the Latitude music festival.
Geoff’s first book, Crime Dot Com: From Viruses to Vote Rigging, How Hacking Went Global, was published in August 2020 by Reaktion Books and was described as “a fascinating, often gripping read”.
He has written and presented two major podcast series for Audible. The Dark Web exposed the shadow internet created by the US military and now home to hackers, crooks and freedom fighters. It has been a top ten hit on the platform since its launch in 2017. Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe? revealed the origins of AI, and showed how the technology is seeping into everyday life.
Geoff’s own podcast series Cybercrime Investigations takes listeners inside the world of an investigative journalist, detailing the twists and turns as the story unfolds.
He was also the co-creator of The Secret Life of Your Mobile Phone, a live, interactive phone hacking stage performance which showed how the global technology industry is harvesting the data leaking from your handset. The show was a sell–out hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017, and has been performed at music festivals, political conferences and for corporate clients.
As the technology correspondent for Channel 4 News, one of the UK’s leading daily news programmes, Geoff won multiple awards for his work on the Snowden leaks, the hacking of Britain’s largest ISP TalkTalk and his exposés of fraud in the internet dating industry. He was the creator of the programme’s Data Baby project, a unique experiment which used a fictional online persona to expose how personal data is used – and abused – online.
His new book, Rinsed, reveals technology’s impact on the world of money laundering and will be published by Penguin Random House in June 2024.
He has given keynote talks for some of the world’s biggest brands, including Microsoft, HSBC, Mastercard, Atos, Orange and Bank of America.
His last book, The Lazarus Heist – From Hollywood to High Finance: Inside North Korea’s Global Cyber War was published by Penguin Random House in June 2022, and is available now on Amazon, Waterstones, and Bookshop.org. It sprang from the hit 10-part BBC podcast series of the same name, which Geoff co-hosted and which immediately ranked number one in the UK Apple chart and within the top 7 in the US.
An experienced public speaker, he has given keynote talks at some of the UK’s largest conferences, in addition to hosting events and chairing panels at venues ranging from London’s Chatham House think-tank to the Latitude music festival.
Geoff’s first book, Crime Dot Com: From Viruses to Vote Rigging, How Hacking Went Global, was published in August 2020 by Reaktion Books and was described as “a fascinating, often gripping read”.
He has written and presented two major podcast series for Audible. The Dark Web exposed the shadow internet created by the US military and now home to hackers, crooks and freedom fighters. It has been a top ten hit on the platform since its launch in 2017. Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe? revealed the origins of AI, and showed how the technology is seeping into everyday life.
Geoff’s own podcast series Cybercrime Investigations takes listeners inside the world of an investigative journalist, detailing the twists and turns as the story unfolds.
He was also the co-creator of The Secret Life of Your Mobile Phone, a live, interactive phone hacking stage performance which showed how the global technology industry is harvesting the data leaking from your handset. The show was a sell–out hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017, and has been performed at music festivals, political conferences and for corporate clients.
As the technology correspondent for Channel 4 News, one of the UK’s leading daily news programmes, Geoff won multiple awards for his work on the Snowden leaks, the hacking of Britain’s largest ISP TalkTalk and his exposés of fraud in the internet dating industry. He was the creator of the programme’s Data Baby project, a unique experiment which used a fictional online persona to expose how personal data is used – and abused – online.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 2, 2020
Some very interesting facts.. and some scary facts
Enjoyed listening to this Audio book..
Enjoyed listening to this Audio book..
April 17, 2020
While studying for my degree in Maths and Computer Science in the 1980s, one Professor was vocal in how the move towards automation would change our lifestyles. He suggested that it was the responsibility of society (Government, Private Companies, etc.) to prepare people for this change. On graduating, I went on to do a masters in Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM), yet another area where machines take over human tasks. I now work for an IT company who offers products based on Robotic Automation and AI. These products are used by companies across a wide range of industry sectors.
My own experience and this documentary show how pervasive these technologies now are in human society.
I can see the many benefits of automation and AI, in the way it can remove the drudgery of repetitive tasks done by humans. Chatbots can provide a way to interact with people in a meaningful way in the right situation.
But almost forty years on from my studies, I don't feel that society has been adequately prepared for the change. There is also a worrying side to the use of AI-related technologies and Search engines. It has been shown that the bias and parameter settings of the programmer can seep into the algorithms used making them both gender and ethnically biased. The highjacking of AI to purposely direct people to or spread fake news and inappropriate content should be a concern. Also, where it isn't possible to determine why AI has made a particular decision is very problematic for me.
Overall, this is an excellent book showing the pros and cons of automation and AI.
My own experience and this documentary show how pervasive these technologies now are in human society.
I can see the many benefits of automation and AI, in the way it can remove the drudgery of repetitive tasks done by humans. Chatbots can provide a way to interact with people in a meaningful way in the right situation.
But almost forty years on from my studies, I don't feel that society has been adequately prepared for the change. There is also a worrying side to the use of AI-related technologies and Search engines. It has been shown that the bias and parameter settings of the programmer can seep into the algorithms used making them both gender and ethnically biased. The highjacking of AI to purposely direct people to or spread fake news and inappropriate content should be a concern. Also, where it isn't possible to determine why AI has made a particular decision is very problematic for me.
Overall, this is an excellent book showing the pros and cons of automation and AI.
January 4, 2021
Narrator Bernard P. Achampong
so intriguing. we already cannot explain how neural nets are making the choices they are, and some people are worried about that. I remember seeing the abject horror of a person's Russian grandma who had spent decades hiding things from the government or other watchers, and now people share everything, and allow listening devices into their homes; hey, alexa...
What's that statement? 'lose liberty for convenience' mumbles something something ... hey, google... what was that quote about safety? Ben Franklin: 'They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.'
right...
4 stars
so intriguing. we already cannot explain how neural nets are making the choices they are, and some people are worried about that. I remember seeing the abject horror of a person's Russian grandma who had spent decades hiding things from the government or other watchers, and now people share everything, and allow listening devices into their homes; hey, alexa...
What's that statement? 'lose liberty for convenience' mumbles something something ... hey, google... what was that quote about safety? Ben Franklin: 'They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.'
right...
4 stars
October 11, 2020
This docu-series had my blood running cold at more than one point.
We assume we know what comes with the technology we use every day - but honestly, we have *no* idea.
If nothing else, I'm glad that all this time I've said thank you to Google every time she's helped me with something.
Maybe that means I'll get a cushion to sleep on when Skynet takes over.
We assume we know what comes with the technology we use every day - but honestly, we have *no* idea.
If nothing else, I'm glad that all this time I've said thank you to Google every time she's helped me with something.
Maybe that means I'll get a cushion to sleep on when Skynet takes over.
June 20, 2020
Meh - this was ok I guess. Interesting topic and some good expert guests. Overall felt it could have gripped the reader/listener more and was left with a very unimpressive view of AI. More of a sceptic now than before.
September 7, 2020
This was an interesting look at AI in several fields including journalism, healthcare, banking, art and music. The extent to which AI is being used may surprise you. Journalist White interviews experts in several fields to discuss implications and more. A thought provoking listen.
January 9, 2021
Very well narrated. A bit too alarmist on where AI will take us but overall very well narrated.
Understood a little if unknown history, the book is not for techies, they might feel this is too basic. It is for the non techies to get a sense of where AI can take us
Understood a little if unknown history, the book is not for techies, they might feel this is too basic. It is for the non techies to get a sense of where AI can take us
June 5, 2020
Interesting but scarry
December 21, 2020
Could be titled as a noob’s guide to AI and it’s implications
July 24, 2024
An excellent overview of AI and the issues that will have to be dealt with as it becomes more entrenched in society.
January 23, 2025
A good overview is of the subject.
January 16, 2021
Well - this was fascinating. Have you known that there is a web page "https://willrobotstakemyjob.com/" where you can check, what the probability that robots (AI) will take your job is? (Fun fact - my boyfriend used to be a train driver, this position has a 94% probability to be taken by robots. Now he works as a software developer, here the probability is just 4 %! :-D) I as a future (hopefully) interpreter/translator have "38 % risk", which is not that bad - for now.
However, this podcast was really interesting and has brought a lot of new thoughts in my mind. I liked the chapter about artificial art. :-)
However, this podcast was really interesting and has brought a lot of new thoughts in my mind. I liked the chapter about artificial art. :-)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews