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The hype surrounding AI has reached a point where there is now a groundswell of sentiment pushing back against some of the more extravagant claims. Given Silicon Valley has yet to develop a version of autocorrect that isn’t extremely annoying, a degree of scepticism would certainly seem to be warranted. In his sharp review of a new book that labels AI a “con”, Luke Munn argues that demystifying how AI actually works is crucial to understanding what it can do and,
no less importantly, what it can’t do.
Thinking critically about technological development is particularly important when it comes to warfare. Sophisticated new weaponry, including AI, has radically changed the face of contemporary conflict. The use of drones and computerised targeting systems is now common; space is increasingly a contested frontier. Yet as Kevin Foster points out, militaries have pursued technological advantages throughout human history. The underlying issues are, in a sense,
timeless.
For those weary of all the conflict, our Friday essay this week is a wonderfully affirming story from Alice Pung about her relationship with her self-appointed “godparents” and their role in instilling her with a lifelong love of reading.
There are just days to go in our fundraising campaign, but there is still time to show your support. We are greatly encouraged by the generosity of readers who value thoughtful writing on literature and big ideas. Thank you to everyone who has already donated. Every contribution helps.
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James Ley
Deputy Books + Ideas Editor
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Luke Munn, The University of Queensland
AI slop means faster and cheaper content, and the technical and financial logic of online platforms creates a race to the bottom.
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Kevin Foster, Monash University
Drones, AI-targeting systems and the jostle for power in space raise a host of ethical questions about how, when, where and why we should fight.
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Alice Pung, The University of Melbourne
In Alice Pung’s family, love was imbued with anxiety and fear. But in books, adults had reasoned discussions and talked to children as if their thoughts mattered.
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Martine Kropkowski, The University of Queensland
Take a world tour of monsters, from vampires in Serbia and giants in Cornwall to festivals of dragons in Bavaria and werewolves in Louisiana.
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Ismail Albayrak, Australian Catholic University
Food, religious rituals, gender relations … Ibn Battuta described them all in his travelogue, which covered the medieval Islamic world, India, China and beyond.
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Michelle Cahill, University of Tasmania
Raeden Richardson’s surreal, gritty novel both dazzles and overwhelms, while showing empathy for the marginalised and their stories.
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More great reading
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Brett Greatley-Hirsch, University of Leeds; Andrew Hadfield, University of Sussex; Rachel White, Durham University
Perhaps he intended to denigrate Shakespeare as a jack-of-all-trades player-turned-playwright who should have stuck to acting.
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Kirk Dodd, University of Sydney
Set in the turbulent early Roman Republic the play follows the glorious rise of Coriolanus, a terrifying war machine on the battlefield.
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Peter Edwell, Macquarie University
Public baths also often featured gymnasiums, libraries, restaurants and exercise yards. Archaeological evidence suggests even dentistry was performed at the baths.
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Adam Daniel, Western Sydney University
The killer robot is far from a simple villain. It is a mirror held up to cultural questions we have about human autonomy and responsibility in the digital age.
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