Book Review: AI Rising by Leslie D'Monte and Jayanth N. Kolla

 Artificial intelligence is the most fascinating and, at the same time, the most disruptive of the technologies ever put together by humans, and with every passing minute, we are being propelled deeper into it. We are already well ahead of the point of no return. Already, AI algorithms are being used in several facets of our lives, like the recommendations that we receive while browsing YouTube or binge-watching Netflix. We have all tried out ChatGPT, the AI chatbot that can provide answers on many subjects. Before embracing the impending AI onslaught, it will help to know more about AI, its impact on us, and the ways in which it can be harmful.

AI Rising: India's Artificial Intelligence Growth Story is a book written by Leslie D'Monte and Jayanth N. Kolla that tries to demystify artificial intelligence for regular folks. It follows an Indian perspective and details the history, the present state, and the possibilities and challenges that technology faces in India. I received the book from its publisher, Jaico Books, through WritersMelon.com in exchange for feedback.

The book contains valuable information about several new ways in which artificial intelligence is already making an impact on people's lives, right from a farmer to the CEO of a corporation. It can be used to recommend entertainment solutions, diagnose patients, improve the efficiency of agriculture, predict natural calamities, or automate industrial production. It can also be used for manipulating the public, controlling the information flow, toppling governments, manufacturing killing weapons, and rendering millions of people unemployed.

India is currently the fastest-growing economy in the world and the most populated country. It is imperative that India participate actively and contribute liberally to the propagation of futuristic technologies like AI and quantum computing to sustain its growth streak. The book gives a comprehensive picture of the AI scene in India and can help people with limited knowledge about the technology understand it and get an idea of the ways it is going to impact them professionally and personally.

The book is written in four parts. The first part gives a brief description of the workings of artificial intelligence. The second part, which takes up more than half of the book, elaborates on the present status of AI in India. The third part stresses the need to regulate AI technology using a strong policy by the government, as the technology is prone to several biases that impact decision-making.The fourth part, about the future of AI, speculates on the several routes the technology can take in its future course.

AI Rising is a valuable resource to understand how the proliferation of AI is going to impact the lives of common citizens. AI is an invasive technology that has the potential to make our lives easier, less cluttered, and more comfortable. At the same time, it may render several job profiles obsolete. The book can be useful to form a perspective on how to use it to the advantage of the reader.

I loved the book because it doesn't entangle itself in technological jargon and is very approachable. At the same time, it is very thorough in the application part, which may be of considerable interest to the non-technical population. It has a very balanced perspective about the strides that India has made in its AI journey and also about the long way it has to further travel to overcome its rivals in the field. It doesn't gloat about the technology, nor does it demonise the dangers. Some parts of it felt repetitive, and the figures and charts included in it were too juvenile, like copy-pasted from a PowerPoint presentation. But still, I consider the book to be one for mandatory reading.