Artificial intelligence will shape our future in unforeseen ways, and it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that it could someday dictate the terms of our very existence. But the fact is, the more that AI can do, the more it underscores the irreplaceable qualities of human creativity, empathy, and moral reasoning. This is one of the eight paradoxes of AI that Virginia Dignum explores in this revelatory book. Drawing on her decades of experience in AI research and governance, Dignum cuts through the hype and sensationalism that often surround AI and reveals why the most profound questions it raises are not about technology but ourselves.
The AI Paradox is a guide to seeing complexity with clarity, questioning the seemingly inevitable, and using AI in ways that prioritize our collective values. Each paradox explored in this book illuminates a particular dimension of these emerging technologies while prompting us to reevaluate our most common preconceptions about them. Can they truly replicate human decision making or do they simply magnify our blind spots and biases? Is AI the ultimate problem-solving tool or does it introduce more problems? Is justice for all achievable when it comes to AI? Who does AI serve, big tech or the common good? How do we even define AI?
With thought-provoking examples and paradoxical insights, this powerful little book challenges us to reimagine the role of these technologies in our lives, advocating for a collaborative, transparent, and inclusive approach that keeps humanity at the core of AI innovation.
Virginia Dignum is an internationally recognized expert in AI ethics and policy who has led initiatives for the European Commission, the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, UNESCO, and UNICEF, among others. She is professor of responsible artificial intelligence at Umeå University in Sweden and the author of Responsible Artificial Intelligence.
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“A sharply argued plea for humanity in this age of artificial intelligence.”—Gary Marcus, author of Taming Silicon Valley
“Between the hype and hysteria, The AI Paradox offers a down-to-earth map of how to understand AI, the claims made about it, and the debates around the technology’s future.”—Marietje Schaake, author of The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley
“As breathtaking as AI’s advances have been, they have also laid bare its stark limitations—and underscored the invaluable, irreplaceable role of human judgment. Virginia Dignum emphasizes that AI is not something happening to us, but something we are actively creating. She offers a vision that puts human agency front and center: not only in the vital things AI cannot and should not do, but in the very process of shaping its development. Now is the time to determine our future and actively decide what we want AI to become. The AI Paradox is thoughtful, urgent, and essential reading for this critical moment.”—Brian Christian, author of The Alignment Problem: Machine Learning and Human Values
“The AI Paradox clearly shows that nothing in the AI ecosystem is simple or only technological, but rather a piece of a very complex multidimensional sociotechnical environment, where humans are irreplaceable and responsible for shaping an AI-infused future. The book is a call to action to all of us: AI must augment our collective intelligence. A must-read to achieve clarity and focus on what needs to be done!”—Francesca Rossi, IBM Global Leader for Responsible AI and AI Governance
“From the early development of the internet to our AI landscape today, technological advancements have posed many paradoxes. In this clear-eyed guide, Dignum draws from her impressive technical, ethical, sociological, and philosophical expertise to uncover the truth underpinning our current and future realities.”—Dame Wendy Hall, cofounder of the Web Science Trust
