The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI, Fei-Fei Li, Flatiron Books, 2023. 324p. Hardcover, $24.99. 9781250897930

Abstract

When we consider artificial intelligence, we may think about the recent generative artificial intelligence tools making the news, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, or Microsoft’s Bing. However, AI has been a scientific discipline since the 1950s; AI was originally trained to perform very specific tasks and generally did such assignments very well (e.g. playing chess). Academic libraries such as Stanford University Libraries have also been discussing the role of artificial intelligence and its applications in higher educations, business, and society. AI is now being incorporated into the mainstream due to recent developments in these generative tools that are becoming readily available. Dr. Fei-Fei Li, Professor of Computer Science and Founding Director of Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI at Stanford University, writes in her memoir, The Worlds I See, about her curiosity, affinity, and engagement with artificial intelligence. The author explains how she came to understand the promises and perils of AI through her encounters, projects, and collaborations over two decades.