My interest here is the shift from science-fiction to fact – that AI – artificial intelligence on the web can and is delivering support. This will manifest itself in various ways, including support and assessment of early drafts of written assignments, possibly reading a blog to comment where others don’t … and to aid those who are isolated or at odds with the technology.

This book takes it into the realm of companions, as talking ‘pets’, as reflections of the user and potentially even after many years of support becoming a virtual record or avatar of the deceased.

I’m 1/3rd the way through a first read. In due course I’ll return for a second read and share some of the ideas and issues.

Related articles

• From Physics to AI – Where Artificial Intelligence Went Wrong (gettherefromhere.org)
• Cambridge to study technology’s risk to humans (phys.org)
• Six scientists tell us about the most accurate science fiction in their fields (io9.com)