“A concise, insightful and sophisticated guide to maintaining humane values in an age of new machines.” — The New York Times Book Review
After decades of hype and sci-fi fantasies, artificial intelligence is leaping out of research labs and into the center of our lives. Automation doesn’t just change our jobs. It shapes our entire human experience, with AI and algorithms influencing the TV shows we watch, the music we listen to, the beliefs we hold, and the relationships we form. And while the age-old debate over whether automation will destroy jobs rages on, an even more important question is being ignored:
How can we be happy, successful humans in a world built by and for machines?
In Futureproof: 9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation, New York Times technology columnist Kevin Roose lays out a hopeful, pragmatic vision of how humans can thrive in the machine age. He shares the secrets of people and organizations that have survived technological change, and explains how we can protect our own futures. Roose rejects the conventional wisdom that in order to succeed in the age of intelligent machines, we have to become more like computers—hyper-efficient, data-driven workhorses. Instead, he says, we should focus on being more human, and doing the kinds of creative, inspiring, and meaningful things even the most advanced AI can’t do.
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PRAISE FOR FUTUREPROOF
“Tech companies are changing the way we live, but no one is in charge of making sure that technology is improving lives. While we need to rewrite the rules of the twenty-first-century economy with solutions powerful enough to deal with this change, Kevin Roose’s book is a great look at how people can do this on a personal level to always put humanity first.”
“While I think that Skynet is still going to send the Terminator back to try to kill humanity some day, it’s worth your time and attention — if that is still a thing in the addled Internet age — to read Kevin’s bracing book now. Why? Because it’s a primer on the future and how to deal with the incoming today, from AI to automation to robotics and more, by using the tools of creativity and just being human. Whether the digital threat comes from a cybernetic organism from 2459 arriving in a big ball of lightning or from that innocent looking mobile super computer in your hand, I do know that you need to prepare for the next tech age. And there’s no better way to do it than to futureproof yourself by letting Kevin show you how.”
“Artificial intelligence—and robots themselves—can be terrifying, but Kevin Roose provides a clear, compelling strategy for surviving the next wave of technology with our jobs—and souls—intact. Whether you’re an optimist or a pessimist about the future, Futureproof is the survival guide you need.”
ABOUT KEVIN ROOSE
Kevin Roose is an award-winning technology columnist for The New York Times, and the New York Times bestselling author of three books: Futureproof, Young Money, and The Unlikely Disciple.
He is the host of the “Rabbit Hole” podcast, and a regular guest on “The Daily,” as well as other TV and radio shows. He writes and speaks regularly on many topics, including automation and A.I., social media, disinformation and cybersecurity, and digital wellness.
Before joining The Times, he was a writer at New York magazine, and a host and executive producer of "Real Future," a documentary TV series about technology and innovation.
He lives in the Bay Area.
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CONTACTS
Media requests: media[at]futureproofthebook.com
Speaking inquiries: speaking[at]kevinroose.com
Book cover by Rachel Gogel