Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

AUTOMATIC NOODLE by Annalee Newitz (Four Lost Cities, The Terraformers) is a thoughtful science fiction work which received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly (“Newitz packs this tale with simmering action, endearing characters, and political savvy, topping it all off with generous dollops of humor and imagination. It’s delicious.”). Newitz (whose work has won numerous awards including being a Nebula award finalist) meets a high standard with this tale set near San Francisco in the late twenty-first century, post-war between America and California. The main characters are robots named Staybehind, Sweetie, Cayenne, and Hands who each have their own personality and specialty (security; organization; taste; cooking) and they decide to revive a restaurant with the help of a recently homeless human. Robots have some civil rights in the newly independent California and it’s exciting to see them grapple with the start-up issues as well as fake reviews and prejudice against machines. AUTOMATIC NOODLE is the Top Pick for LibraryReads selection for August. At only 176 pages, this is a quick, cozy read and highly recommended, especially for sci-fi fans of books like Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot or Travis Baldree’s Bookshops & Bonedust or Julie Leong’s The Teller of Small Fortunes.

Infinite Archive by Mur Lafferty

INFINITE ARCHIVE by Mur Lafferty is another murder mystery featuring Mallory Viridian. Set in space, with aliens and humans co-existing, this is the third in the series, after Station Eternity and Chaos Terminal. These novels should definitely be read in order especially because the first two are stronger than the latest installment. The pace here is a bit slower, although there are plenty of twists with a new sentient ship hosting a mystery fan convention while attempting to replicate the entire Internet. A new type of alien is introduced as well as past characters, some of whom actively try to help amateur sleuth Mallory solve the murder of her literary agent.

Two Perspectives: The AI Con & AI for Life

THE AI CON by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna offers a unique perspective on “How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want.” In fact, Kirkus describes this book as “a refreshingly contrarian take on AI” and includes it in a list of “5 Essential New Books That Challenge Big Tech” (Careless People, on my TBR pile, is also included). Bender is a Linguistics professor at the University of Washington and Hanna, a former member of the ethical AI team at Google, is now Director of Research at the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR); both have been critical about promises made and potential societal impact of AI. They have crafted this book with the following goal: “preventing harm from AI hype. [They believe] When people can spot AI hype, they make better decisions about how and when to use automation, and they are in a better position to advocate for policies to constrain the use of automation by others.” Bender and Hanna raise issues such as surveillance (including facial recognition often coupled with biased algorithms) or devaluing creativity, and they point to the importance of more discussion and evaluation. They focus on the application of automation in the areas of decision-making, classification, recommendation, transcription/translation, and text/image generation. Bender and Hanna provide an entire chapter containing questions which “we can each ask, whenever we are in a position to make decisions about automation or influence others who are doing so.” Prompting more thoughtful consideration, they certainly ignited my desire to investigate further with sources such as The Conversation, Journalist’s Resource, CNET’s ai atlas, and think tanks like Brookings Institution or reports from CQ Researcher (citing AI Now Institute, Center for Democracy & Technology, MIT, Pew Research Center, and The Stanford Institute for Human Centered AI, as just a few examples).  As an aide to critical thinking and accountability, roughly a third of their text is devoted to notes and an index. Interested readers may also want to explore their podcast: Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000.

In contrast, AI FOR LIFE by Celia Quillian offers “100+ Ways to Use Artificial Intelligence to Make Your Life Easier, More Productive…and More Fun!” PC Magazine recently interviewed the author and begins by quoting her: “Approach AI with curiosity, not fear.” Quillan, who has been featured as a commentator on AI by several business publications, begins by discussing “getting started with generative AI” and then offers numerous helpful suggestions (e.g., “explain it to me like I’m 12” or “ask me 10 questions to better guide your response”) in a chapter titled “Prompting 101.” From there, she delves into using AI and devotes a chapter to each of the following areas: Home Life; Food, Health, and Wellness; Career Development; Personal Finance; Personal Growth and Learning; Relationships; Travel; and Fun and Entertainment. Using travel as an example, readers will find a series of helpful suggestions for personalizing destination ideas (e.g., What is the best time of year to travel? What are some must-do activities? What is the estimated cost per person?), planning road trips, and exploring local cuisine. This should help users new to AI because her prompts are often quite instructive and specific, like this one: “Could you identify 10 upcoming events or performances in and around Philadelphia's music, arts, or nightlights scenes in May 2025? Make note of the date they are happening and provide a brief description of the event.” Packing tips, local etiquette, and translation are other topics she explores in that travel chapter. My teaching experience has reinforced the view that people learn best when they are pursuing a task relevant to them – Quillian highlights numerous ways to experiment with AI in a personally meaningful way. Although her text is not up-to-the minute (e.g., no reference to Deepseek), she does provide information on several models and AI FOR LIFE should propel readers to a better understanding of the benefits and limitations of AI.

This important topic was just addressed in an Atlantic article, “What Happens When People Don’t Understand How AI Works?” by Tyler Austin Harper. Coming full circle, he references Bender and Hanna, expresses concern about the industry’s “tradition of anthropomorphizing,” and argues that large language models “do not think and feel but instead mimic and mirror.” And laments further about “minimizing attention spans, literacy, and social cohesion.” Much to reflect upon and consider. 

Four Days a Week by Juliet Schor

FOUR DAYS A WEEKby Juliet Schor describes “The Life-Changing Solution for Reducing Employee Stress, Improving Well-Being, and Working Smarter” Schor, a bestselling author, an economist, and a professor of sociology at Boston College, says the “secret sauce” is to cut out unproductive activities, especially meetings. She also notes that employees prefer a full day off “rather than snippets.” In terms of a four-day week, numerous benefits, including increased productivity, better employee attitudes, and greater talent retention are often cited.The American Psychological Association has published research pointing to the benefits of this policy. For interested readers, Schor succinctly explains her research findings in this May 2025 Wall Street Journal article and in her April 2022 TedTalk which has had over three million views:

This is a fascinating topic, meriting additional study and consideration. Some questions to consider, for example, would be whether the shorter work week could be applied across industries or will it contribute to greater inequality and resentment between classes of workers. Another thought: what is the long-term impact – specifically, are productivity gains sustainable? Schor has made a significant contribution to the debate with her many case studies and exploration of different implementation strategies companies could pursue. Schor includes an entire chapter on AI, for example, citing an “estimate that the productivity gains of this technology could enable 28% of the workforce, or 35 million workers, to transition to thirty-two hours by 2033” and quotes a source who asks, “why can't these technologies, if they're able to do 20% of what a human does - or did - why can't that 20% be given back to the employee?” Looking for even more discussion on the Future of Work? Be sure to explore the McKinsey featured insights on that topic.

Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers

MONK AND ROBOT by Becky Chambers is FANTASTIC; she has won the Hugo Award for her Wayfarer series.  I am really pleased to see this new publication which contains both of her earlier works, A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy. This new paperback edition would make a wonderful high school or college graduation present as the characters search for meaning and purpose. As the cover indicates, these stories are about the adventures of, interactions between, and reflections from a Monk named Sibling Dex and a Robot called Splendid Speckled Mosscap. They live in the time after the Factories and after the Transition when robots gained self-awareness and left to explore life on their own and when humans sought to rejuvenate their planet.  It has been roughly two hundred years since any interaction and both Dex and Mosscap have much to learn about each other and themselves. Highly Recommended.

Devil in the Stack by Andrew Smith

DEVIL IN THE STACK by Andrew Smith is subtitled “Searching for the Soul of the New Machine.” This text received a starred review from both Booklist and Publishers Weekly, but I initially found it very difficult to read. The prologue discusses coding and shares some firsthand experiences but does little to scaffold content for the remainder of the text. The author’s intent and main argument were not outlined, although he did comment: “from certain angles, life could appear to be getting worse in eerie proportion to the amount of code streaming into it” and “the software being written by a remote community of coders was reshaping society more dramatically than any technology since the steam engine.” I read further and liked learning about resources like freeCodeCamp, but struggled to embrace Smith’s writing style, jumping from one, albeit interesting, interview or interaction with an expert to another. I think he was trying to tie loosely related ideas together, perhaps like Mary Roach, but her work is more accessible and more entertaining. The Times Literary Supplement review recently described DEVIL IN THE STACK as “dense, prickly and rewarding” – give it a try and decide for yourself. 

The Mind's Mirror by Daniela Rus and Gregory Mone

THE MIND'S MIRROR by Daniela Rus and Gregory Mone (The Chip and the Heart) is another collaboration between a pioneering roboticist who is director of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and a professional science writer. Their newest book focuses on “Risk and Reward in the Age of AI.” As ever, these two authors are extremely optimistic about the new technology and divide their text into three main sections: Powers, Fundamentals, and Stewardship. Taking a “hands-on” approach, they offer advice like: “as you evaluate how AI can help your business, I'd suggest breaking down the various roles within your organization by task, then looking at whether AI can assist, augment, or automate those tasks.”  The authors also point to the value of “business bilinguals, [those] who understand both tasks and technology” like understanding the complex issues involved with medical coding and AI application. About halfway through the text they offer a section which reads a bit like a business school case with “a detailed set of guidelines and questions to consider as you think about putting AI into action.” Later, they do turn to potential concerns and link to an effort to provide policy briefs on the governance of AI. They also devote considerable space to less commonly cited challenges in three spheres: technical (such as training data, complexity, security, reliability, bias), societal (like privacy, intellectual property, controls, overreliance, misinformation), and economic (impact on jobs, the rate of adoption, and so forth). THE MIND'S MIRROR is a relatively accessible text which could prompt numerous discussions, whether for student researchers or business applications. The two-part appendix provides a brief history of artificial intelligence plus an overview of the infrastructure of AI, followed by suggestions for further reading and a bibliography of sources.  

In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callaghan

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE by Jo Callaghan is an impressive debut, being chosen as the winner of the Crime Writers’ Association’s John Creasy New Blood Dagger Award and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. Callaghan has created some memorable characters: Detective Kat Frank and Lock. The former is a recently widowed Mom to eighteen-year-old Cam who has had his own struggles with grief. Part of a pilot test, Lock can be activated as a hologram and is called an AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) who is overseen by Professor Okonedo with the goal to learn more about policing and determine to what extent AI can be helpful in that arena. Kat, with 25 years of experience and a well-developed “gut” intuition, has her reservations as do the other members of her team, DI Rayan Hassan and DS Debbie Browne. They soon learn that Lock does have skills (e.g., speed of reviewing and analyzing social media contacts) to contribute despite its lack of emotional intelligence. The team is assigned to cover cold cases and they begin to look at the disappearance of two young men. The story does get a bit dark, but the characters are wonderful and I would happily read Callaghan’s next mystery, especially if Kat Frank is involved. Fans of police procedurals will be enthusiastic readers (and perhaps viewers as The Independent says, “With well-drawn characters, believable emotions and an interesting premise, you can see this becoming a TV series.”).

The Skill Code by Beane & Code Dependent by Murgia

I am looking forward to virtually attending The Washington Post Futurist Summit on AI later this week. Here are another couple of new books related to that subject:

THE SKILL CODE by Matt Beane is subtitled “How to Save Human Ability in an Age of Intelligent Machines” and it looks at the importance of what Beane calls the expert-novice bond, meaning that that we each achieved mastery by working with someone who knew more than we did. Beane conducts extensive observational field research as an ethnographer and in his role as an Assistant Professor in the Technology Management Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The first key insight he notes is “that the working relationship between experts and novices is a bundle of three C's that humans need to develop mastery: challenge, complexity, and connection.” He explains those and points to threats to each, arguing “if we don't put this knowledge [3C’s] to use right now, our species is in deep trouble.” Overall, this is really a text about training, teaching and educational psychology. He points to how we need to consciously make these new technologies part of the solution but not by inserting them between novices and experts. A captivating section is where he discusses “shadow learners” – people who take risks and step outside norms to embrace the 3 C’s. Beane writes about finding challenge (not unlike Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD)) and provides a checklist to know when you are facing healthy challenge. Beane then repeats those steps with respect to complexity and connection, stressing the importance of “building mutual respect and trust so that employees view a boss as an expert but also someone who cares.”  Like much of the rest of the book, this is solid advice on social emotional skills and applies to any industry, whether AI is involved or not. Added (9/8/24): The Wall Street Journal review:  "Digital transformation has made the workplace more efficient. It has also reduced opportunities for skill development and mentorship."

CODE DEPENDENT by Madhumita Murgia is subtitled “Living in the Shadow of AI” and in a rather angry manner Murgia stresses the need for individuals around the world to unite in the face of AI. She writes about the concept of data colonialism and points to how gig workers (e.g., those affiliated with Uber) are oppressed and manipulated by algorithms. That made me wonder about how did business management transform from a cooperative, albeit paternalistic, view to an all-knowing heartless controller? Is that accurate? Is it part of a continual cycle of exploitation and reform? Some of these points were raised several years ago in The End of Loyalty by Rick Wartzman. Murgia, an award-winning Indian-British journalist who is currently AI Editor at the Financial Times, argues that “by reflecting on the march of AI, we can start to address the imbalances in power, and move towards redress.” Her work draws on examples from around the world, having spoken to people living in Kenya, Britain, Argentina, Italy, and to refugees from Iraq and China. In sections labeled Your Livelihood, Your Body and Your Identity, she shares concerns about wage differentials, deepfakes, and facial recognition. A subsequent section on Your Health features a doctor in rural India who is able to use an app to help to quickly diagnosis TB and later to contribute to recalibrate it to distinguish between TB and COVID. After several other chapters, Murgia describes OpenAI and Chat GPT and the tendency to hallucinate based on training. A favorite part is the Epilogue where Murgia describes the work of the world’s major religions in contributing to developing some ethical standards for deploying AI. Endnotes and an Index comprise between ten and fifteen percent of the text. The Guardian called CODE DEPENDENT “highly readable and deeply important,” saying “the power of this book lies in the rich stories it tells of individuals ... Drawing on interviews from around the globe.” Those stories veer between deep pessimism and glimmers of optimism and offer unique perspective. Much to consider.  

Added from NPR: Pope to discuss AI at G7 meeting.

The AI-Savvy Leader by David De Cremer

THE AI-SAVVY LEADER by David De Cremer is an excellent book on a complicated subject – so well-organized and not afraid to name the elephant in the room: too many leaders do not understand AI and are abdicating their responsibility for managing its adoption. De Cremer is dean of the D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University and the founder and director of the Centre on AI Technology for Humankind (AiTH) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School. He subtitles his text “Nine Ways to Take Back Control and Make AI Work” and after explaining what AI is (computational systems with a self-learning ability), proceeds to devote chapters to topics like inclusion and balance. For example, he recommends that leaders “build a flat communication culture” thereby ensuring quicker communication flow and promoting feedback and information exchange. He uses bold typeface and boxed material to stress key points as in chapter 5 (Vision) where he says that holistic communication and showing empathy “gives employees confidence that AI adoption is not an end in itself but a means to an end with full recognition of the interests of the workforce.” He describes the importance of getting buy-in from all stakeholders (employees, customers and society). In addition, he devotes an entire chapter to emotional intelligence’s soft skills (“curiosity, empathy, communication, and critical and proactive thinking”). Yes, learning about AI is important, but De Cremer notes again and again that emphasizing employees’ value and “portraying AI as a useful and supportive coworker” is essential to “turn AI into the tool that creates the value that you as a leader want to create.” Notes and an Index represent between five and ten percent of this text published by Harvard Business Review Press.

Brave New Words by Salman Khan

BRAVE NEW WORDS by Salman Khan describes his views on “How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That's a Good Thing).” Unfortunately, there are not enough specifics to really guide interested teachers or parents. Like everything else, AI will have an adoption curve and this text does not help innovators and early adopters convince others in their school system of the potential value of AI. Khan recently spoke about his new book at a Family Action Network event with Angela Duckworth.  It was only around minute 50 (video to be posted soon) that he seemed to spark enthusiasm with ideas about using AI to facilitate break out groups or thesis development. In my experience, one needs to really show the majority of teachers how a new tech could be applied in their field before there is widespread use. It is very confusing for students if different teachers are not making tech accessible in similar ways. For starters, K-12 is a huge range; plus, as Khan points out, this is an extremely complex undertaking due to concerns about student privacy, cheating, assessments, job security, etc. Khan touches on these points in his new text and ends with a general “call for educated bravery” wherein “each of us has an obligation to make sure that we use this technology responsibly.”

The field is in flux as the recent announcement by Microsoft and Khan Academy indicates; although they are making the service free for teachers there would still be charges for students and parents. This is a business model – even if Khan Academy is a non-profit with ambitious goals. Seems like more affluent districts will have the infrastructure (e.g., IT consultants and specialized tech staff) in place to at least trial this tech, but doesn’t that (temporarily?) reinforce disparity in education? Could a condition of use be an arrangement with a “sister” district? Or, what incentives could State Boards of Education be encouraged to establish?  

More info on Sal Khan and his latest endeavors concerning AI are provided in this Ted Talk:

Washington Post commentator Josh Tyrangiel says that Khanamigo is “the first AI software I’m excited for my kids to use.” The debate will continue and giving students reliable one-on-one tutoring – meeting them where they are – is exciting. Figuring out an equitable distribution mechanism is key.

Loneliness & Company by Charlee Dyroff

LONELINESS & COMPANY by Charlee Dyroff is a debut novel recommended by Booklist for fans of Dave Eggers’ The Circle. Yes, this well-written title deserves attention from mature readers which, frankly, would exclude most high school students. The main character is Lee, a young woman who thought she had her life on track but is instead assigned to a new secret project that deals with an old concept: loneliness. Her dystopian society has refused to name or acknowledge this situation, but recent data is causing the Government to fund research into AI and possible ways of combatting what they fear could become a pandemic of sorts. After some initial disappointment, Lee embraces the project: “Days fly by in a content haze. I love the experience of discovering something new, as if the world is full of Easter eggs if you look close enough.” But she ultimately goes overboard with trying to have experiences and take risks, endangering both the project and herself. LONELINESS & COMPANY is a thought-provoking exploration where Dyroff offers a look at Vicky, AI meant to be capable of friendship, and asks “and then what? A world where people connect with technology instead of each other? We already have that. I'd rather have a world of lonely people than a world of numb ones.” And later: “How could we teach Vicki things we don't understand ourselves?”