Absgract: History of Artificial Intelligence: 23rd Century by Michael R. Santos explores the evolution of AI. Despite the aim of making the subject accessible, the book is criticized for its complexity and futuristic approach, which can confuse readers without prior knowledge, limiting its target audience.
The History of Artificial Intelligence: 23rd Century was launched in 2022 as part of Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon’s platform for publishing eBooks independently. Its explicit aim was to explore the theoretical field and explain how Artificial Intelligence (AI) works. The book is aimed at the public interested in the subject and has 232 pages, distributed in an Introduction and eighteen chapters. These chapters simulate classes, conversations between an AI teacher and his students, and interviews with AI.
The author, Michael R. Santos, is a member of the Principia Economica team, which specializes in economics, and Aranea Science, which focuses on science and technology, with an emphasis on topics such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, information security, computational biology, and computational physics. Santos has published ten books on the Amazon platform and maintains a YouTube channel where he discusses digital topics. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to obtain information about the author’s academic background. On his Amazon author profile, Michael R. Santos states that he is “an independent computer science researcher.”
In the Introduction, the author describes his contact with and learning about artificial intelligences and the reasons for writing the book. In the first chapter, he explains that the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged after the creation of computers, inspired by the pre-existing idea of a machine with generalized human intelligence. During the 21st century, AI research turned to computational neuroscience, seeking to understand how to simulate the brain’s processing capacity without reaching consciousness. The need for a mathematical model that integrated neuroscientific theory and brain-based learning led to the development of structures that mimic life, without creating a new life form.
In the second chapter, Alan Turing’s contribution is highlighted, especially his proposal for a system with the cognitive capacity of a child. Turing also introduced the concepts of reward and punishment, which are essential for reinforcement learning in AI. Santos discusses whether machines can be considered intelligent or have rights, highlighting the difference in the adaptability of the human brain compared to machines and AI systems. The next chapter discusses the Dartmouth Summer Research Project of 1956, which marks the formal beginning of AI studies. The significance of neural networks and meta-learning is explored, as well as the human capacity for learning influenced by dopaminergic rewards and moral considerations, which differentiate humans from machines.
In the fourth chapter, Santos examines the fear of human jobs being replaced by AIs, arguing that new occupations will emerge and that interdisciplinarity is crucial to avoid reductionist interpretations of AI. The study of developmental psychology, sociology, and other areas is essential to understanding and developing robotics and AI. Subsequently, he presents a fictitious interview with Prof. Volkof about consciousness in machines, emphasizing Isaac Asimov’s work, I, Robot, and the necessity for regulation, not because of consciousness in machines, but to prevent the criminal use of AIs.
The sixth, seventh, and eighth chapters, respectively, examine the use of AI to solve complex computing problems, such as NP-Complete; the potential of AI in challenging fields; the relationship between consciousness and the legality of machines; the concept of “theatricality” to explain the presentation of consciousness by AIs; and the viability and future impact of Artificial Super Intelligence (SAI), with an emphasis on differentiating between empathy and social development in humans versus AIs.
The ninth chapter elucidates the role of mathematical linguistics in understanding language processing by AIs and the creation of their own languages. In the tenth chapter, Santos delineates the processes by which AIs operate, from defining objectives to optimizing learning through algorithms, and compares this to human learning. The following three chapters present dialogues with AIs about their scientific contributions and the role of information theory and the free lunch theorem in AI.
In the fifteenth, sixth, and seventh chapters, the author discusses the learning/human brain connection, suggesting the applicability of Global Workspace Theory in the creation of conscious AIs. He reiterates the ability of AI to solve NP problems using reinforcement learning, highlighting the potential for innovative solutions. Additionally, he discusses the challenges in creating an AGI, pointing out the complexity of human consciousness and the need for an interdisciplinary approach.
Finally, in the eighteenth chapter, the concept of consciousness and individuality is debated, emphasizing the complexity of the human brain and the integration of its functions for the experience of being.
Furthermore, the abundance of highly technical information and the extensive use of foreign language citations may limit the potential audience for this work, contrary to the author’s stated intention in the book’s introduction. The author notes that he adopted this strategy because it is “cooler to write and read.” Additionally, the book will discuss the mathematical aspects of the subject matter, but the reader is not expected to have any prior knowledge of mathematics. The text states that the teacher will teach the reader about the past, present, and future of AI (p. 2). However, this is not what the reading provides, requiring, at times, prior knowledge of points on the subject. Despite the problems, the book manages to build up a chronology of the founding events and the development of AI over time. Although at times the technical language prevails, the text could represent many readers’ entry into the world of AI. Furthermore, discussions pertaining to the existence or non-existence of a conscience in AIs allow for a timely reflection on the characteristics and limitations of these systems.
Thus, the objective of exploring the theoretical field and explaining how artificial intelligence works has been fulfilled. The author presents the main figures who have contributed to the development of theories that form the basis of artificial intelligence, as well as a qualitative discussion of how an AI works. Although it can be read by those with no prior knowledge of the subject, the book will be most appreciated by those who have already acquired a certain degree of expertise and who utilise AI in their professional and personal lives.
Reviewer
Hermeson Alves de Menezes has a degree in History (2006), a Masters in Education (2011) and a PhD in Education (2020), all from the Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS). He has a scholarship from the CESAD/UFS Teaching Materials Center and teaches elementary and high school in the Sergipe State Public School System. Among other works, he has published “A festa do Senhor dos Passos em São Cristóvão/SE, a partir das memórias de Dona Neném” and “Livros didáticos de história de Sergipe: questões sobre um objeto da cultura escolar”.
SANTOS, Michael R. History of artificial intelligence: 23rd century. sdt.: Amazon, 2022. v. 1. Kindle ebook. Review by: MENEZES, Hermeson Alves de. Historicities of AI. Crítica Historiográfica. Natal, v.4, n.16, mar./abr., 2024. Available at <Historicities of AI – Hermeson Alves de Menezes’s (UFS/SEED) review of “History of Artificial Intelligence: 23rd Century”, by Michael R. Santos – Crítica Historiografica (criticahistoriografica.com.br)>.
Absgract: History of Artificial Intelligence: 23rd Century by Michael R. Santos explores the evolution of AI. Despite the aim of making the subject accessible, the book is criticized for its complexity and futuristic approach, which can confuse readers without prior knowledge, limiting its target audience.
The History of Artificial Intelligence: 23rd Century was launched in 2022 as part of Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon’s platform for publishing eBooks independently. Its explicit aim was to explore the theoretical field and explain how Artificial Intelligence (AI) works. The book is aimed at the public interested in the subject and has 232 pages, distributed in an Introduction and eighteen chapters. These chapters simulate classes, conversations between an AI teacher and his students, and interviews with AI.
The author, Michael R. Santos, is a member of the Principia Economica team, which specializes in economics, and Aranea Science, which focuses on science and technology, with an emphasis on topics such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, information security, computational biology, and computational physics. Santos has published ten books on the Amazon platform and maintains a YouTube channel where he discusses digital topics. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to obtain information about the author’s academic background. On his Amazon author profile, Michael R. Santos states that he is “an independent computer science researcher.”
In the Introduction, the author describes his contact with and learning about artificial intelligences and the reasons for writing the book. In the first chapter, he explains that the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged after the creation of computers, inspired by the pre-existing idea of a machine with generalized human intelligence. During the 21st century, AI research turned to computational neuroscience, seeking to understand how to simulate the brain’s processing capacity without reaching consciousness. The need for a mathematical model that integrated neuroscientific theory and brain-based learning led to the development of structures that mimic life, without creating a new life form.
In the second chapter, Alan Turing’s contribution is highlighted, especially his proposal for a system with the cognitive capacity of a child. Turing also introduced the concepts of reward and punishment, which are essential for reinforcement learning in AI. Santos discusses whether machines can be considered intelligent or have rights, highlighting the difference in the adaptability of the human brain compared to machines and AI systems. The next chapter discusses the Dartmouth Summer Research Project of 1956, which marks the formal beginning of AI studies. The significance of neural networks and meta-learning is explored, as well as the human capacity for learning influenced by dopaminergic rewards and moral considerations, which differentiate humans from machines.
In the fourth chapter, Santos examines the fear of human jobs being replaced by AIs, arguing that new occupations will emerge and that interdisciplinarity is crucial to avoid reductionist interpretations of AI. The study of developmental psychology, sociology, and other areas is essential to understanding and developing robotics and AI. Subsequently, he presents a fictitious interview with Prof. Volkof about consciousness in machines, emphasizing Isaac Asimov’s work, I, Robot, and the necessity for regulation, not because of consciousness in machines, but to prevent the criminal use of AIs.
The sixth, seventh, and eighth chapters, respectively, examine the use of AI to solve complex computing problems, such as NP-Complete; the potential of AI in challenging fields; the relationship between consciousness and the legality of machines; the concept of “theatricality” to explain the presentation of consciousness by AIs; and the viability and future impact of Artificial Super Intelligence (SAI), with an emphasis on differentiating between empathy and social development in humans versus AIs.
The ninth chapter elucidates the role of mathematical linguistics in understanding language processing by AIs and the creation of their own languages. In the tenth chapter, Santos delineates the processes by which AIs operate, from defining objectives to optimizing learning through algorithms, and compares this to human learning. The following three chapters present dialogues with AIs about their scientific contributions and the role of information theory and the free lunch theorem in AI.
In the fifteenth, sixth, and seventh chapters, the author discusses the learning/human brain connection, suggesting the applicability of Global Workspace Theory in the creation of conscious AIs. He reiterates the ability of AI to solve NP problems using reinforcement learning, highlighting the potential for innovative solutions. Additionally, he discusses the challenges in creating an AGI, pointing out the complexity of human consciousness and the need for an interdisciplinary approach.
Finally, in the eighteenth chapter, the concept of consciousness and individuality is debated, emphasizing the complexity of the human brain and the integration of its functions for the experience of being.
Furthermore, the abundance of highly technical information and the extensive use of foreign language citations may limit the potential audience for this work, contrary to the author’s stated intention in the book’s introduction. The author notes that he adopted this strategy because it is “cooler to write and read.” Additionally, the book will discuss the mathematical aspects of the subject matter, but the reader is not expected to have any prior knowledge of mathematics. The text states that the teacher will teach the reader about the past, present, and future of AI (p. 2). However, this is not what the reading provides, requiring, at times, prior knowledge of points on the subject. Despite the problems, the book manages to build up a chronology of the founding events and the development of AI over time. Although at times the technical language prevails, the text could represent many readers’ entry into the world of AI. Furthermore, discussions pertaining to the existence or non-existence of a conscience in AIs allow for a timely reflection on the characteristics and limitations of these systems.
Thus, the objective of exploring the theoretical field and explaining how artificial intelligence works has been fulfilled. The author presents the main figures who have contributed to the development of theories that form the basis of artificial intelligence, as well as a qualitative discussion of how an AI works. Although it can be read by those with no prior knowledge of the subject, the book will be most appreciated by those who have already acquired a certain degree of expertise and who utilise AI in their professional and personal lives.
Reviewer
Hermeson Alves de Menezes has a degree in History (2006), a Masters in Education (2011) and a PhD in Education (2020), all from the Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS). He has a scholarship from the CESAD/UFS Teaching Materials Center and teaches elementary and high school in the Sergipe State Public School System. Among other works, he has published “A festa do Senhor dos Passos em São Cristóvão/SE, a partir das memórias de Dona Neném” and “Livros didáticos de história de Sergipe: questões sobre um objeto da cultura escolar”.
SANTOS, Michael R. History of artificial intelligence: 23rd century. sdt.: Amazon, 2022. v. 1. Kindle ebook. Review by: MENEZES, Hermeson Alves de. Historicities of AI. Crítica Historiográfica. Natal, v.4, n.16, mar./abr., 2024. Available at <Historicities of AI – Hermeson Alves de Menezes’s (UFS/SEED) review of “History of Artificial Intelligence: 23rd Century”, by Michael R. Santos – Crítica Historiografica (criticahistoriografica.com.br)>.
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The author, Michael R. Santos, is a member of the Principia Economica team, which specializes in economics, and Aranea Science, which focuses on science and technology, with an emphasis on topics such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, information security, computational biology, and computational physics. Santos has published ten books on the Amazon platform and maintains a YouTube channel where he discusses digital topics. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to obtain information about the author’s academic background. On his Amazon author profile, Michael R. Santos states that he is “an independent computer science researcher.”
Hermeson Alves de Menezes has a degree in History (2006), a Masters in Education (2011) and a PhD in Education (2020), all from the Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS). He has a scholarship from the CESAD/UFS Teaching Materials Center and teaches elementary and high school in the Sergipe State Public School System. Among other works, he has published “A festa do Senhor dos Passos em São Cristóvão/SE, a partir das memórias de Dona Neném” and “Livros didáticos de história de Sergipe: questões sobre um objeto da cultura escolar”.
