In the near future we will face two major upheavals. On the one hand, with the possibility of stopping the human aging process and significantly extending life. On the other hand, with the emergence of strong artificial intelligences (AIs).
Both have a lot of potential, but also present us with considerable challenges. Many mechanisms that control our thinking, our actions and our decisions are ancient, which is why the marine biologist and behavioral scientist Karsten Brensing likes to speak of an “animal brain” or “Stone Age brain”. Our similarities with the animal world are illustrated with many examples in his book. It also becomes clear that we are only partially prepared for our increasingly complex world.
This is where AI comes into play, whose strength lies in logic and making rational decisions and is therefore a perfect complement to human abilities – if you use it correctly. In Brensing’s opinion, there is too much discussion in current debates about how increasingly powerful AIs can be controlled in the future and too little about the extent to which they could be “partners” in tackling complex tasks. He therefore advocates fair cooperation that relies on long-established concepts of community and cooperation. This is the only way to overcome the technological and social challenges of the future.
While the explanations in the first two parts of the book, which deal with our “animal roots” and our ability to live together in social communities, are immediately obvious, things become much more complicated and theoretical in the third part. Fortunately, the author explains how artificial neural networks work and the various development stages of AI in a largely comprehensible and understandable way, even for readers who have previously given little thought to these topics. “The Magic of Community” offers orientation and lots of food for thought on this important topic. Christopher Walter
Karsten Brensing
The magic of community
What connects us to animals and artificial intelligence
Berlin Verlag, 320 pages, € 24.–
ISBN 978-3-8270-1459-7