Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence Book Review and Giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence

Author: David Espindola

Genre: Non-Fiction

Release Date: May 22, 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has hit an inflection point – ChatGPT has popularized its use. The implications are staggering. Machines are gradually but relentlessly encroaching on what was once believed to be the exclusive realm of tasks performed by humans. The displacement of jobs and consequent technical unemployment is inescapable. But those who can collaborate with AI will be highly rewarded.

Soulful describes the proliferation of AI and its broad implications for the world of work and society in easy-to-understand language. It explains how Human-AI collaboration will increase productivity in Education, Healthcare, Science, Manufacturing, Service, and many other areas. The book discusses the human condition, what motivates and sets us apart from robots, and how to use our intuition to collaborate with AI. It teaches how to identify and develop unique human capabilities and skills that will be highly valued in the future, such as empathy and lateral thinking.

The book explains how increased productivity due to AI and a new creation-based production system could generate abundance, changing how we think about the economy and the meaning of work. In addition to abundance, we could benefit from technology’s unstoppable deflationary force, which may lower the cost of our basic needs – energy, food, communications, transport, education, housing, and healthcare – so that most humans could potentially enjoy a high-quality, low-cost living standard. It also considers the challenges in crossing the chasm between the current realities of inequality, environmental degradation, and economic uncertainty to this new environment where humanity could benefit from the sustainable production of abundance.

Soulful examines threats and opportunities from the advancement of AI and instigates deep reflections and thought-provoking discussions that will open the readers’ minds to new possibilities, preparing us to enter this unfamiliar territory. It provides new insights and investigations from multiple domains, including technology, neuroscience, social psychology, economics, philosophy, and theology. It concludes with a discussion about the soul – the uniquely human trait that is difficult to describe and impossible to impart to machines.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 My Review:

Are you ready for AI aka Artificial Intelligence? It’s here whether you like it or not. It has been in the news lately with Congress creating new bills and stipulations concerning AI. Honestly, AI is not something that I was familiar with other than me asking my phone a question or the portrayal of it taking over the world in movies. I have had a few conversations with some youth from my work about it and how they are using it in school. The younger generation is pretty hyped about the possibilities of AI. While the older generation is not too keen on AI. So, what do you do? We need to educate ourselves on the subject and see what it is all about.

Soulful has a lot of information about the history of it. The author brought up some interesting insights on the benefits of it and even how it will be possibly used in the future. He comes at it from a Christian perspective digging into AI. There is a lot of research and thought put into this book. Not only does the author explain the benefits but also the implications and the negative consequences of the future of AI. I appreciate that he does say that AI will never replace a human. First, it doesn’t have a soul that God puts into every human. Second, it has no emotions attached to it, no matter how it’s programmed.

AI will continue to affect every part of our lives. He gives you some possible scenarios for the future with AI. How it will affect employment and different industries. We need to understand AI in our world. Do we fight against AI? It’s here to stay because whether we like it or not, we need to understand the consequences and benefits it will bring and adapt and grow with it in some areas. He gives an optimistic view of AI from a balanced view.

I can usually read a book in a few days. Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence was not a fast read for me. It had a lot of information that was boring research and technical information. The book was well worth reading despite it not being a genre that interests me. I feel that I have a better grasp of AI, it doesn’t mean that I’m sold on AI but the reality is AI will continue to affect our lives. I recommend this book still as I walked away more knowledgeable about AI. 

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through Celebrate Lit Bloggers in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

About the Author

David Espindola is a technologist, strategist, futurist, and advisor to business, nonprofits, and academia. As a former Chief Information Officer and consultant to world-renowned organizations, he has developed a keen understanding of technology trends and their impact on business and society.

David is the Founder of Brainyus, a company that applies the principles of Transformative Purpose, Lifelong Learning, and Servant Leadership to transform organizations and individuals. Additionally, he serves as a member of the Advisory Board at the University of Minnesota’s Technological Leadership Institute (TLI).

David is the coauthor of The Exponential Era: Strategies to Stay Ahead of the Curve in an Era of Chaotic Changes and Disruptive Forces (Wiley/IEEE Press), published in December 2020. In the book, he explains the impact of exponential growth, describes several technology platforms that are converging to create the Exponential Era, and provides a detailed, practical strategic planning methodology to help companies succeed in these unprecedented times.

You can learn more about the author on his website: DavidEspindola.com.

More from David

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all the rage these days. Until recently, AI was only a topic of conversation within academic or high-tech company circles. But after the advent of ChatGPT, AI has captured the attention and imagination of the average person, as well as business people and legislators worried about its impact on our future.

In its current stage, AI is designated as narrow or weak because, despite its ability to do a few things better than humans, it does not have the general intellectual capabilities that we possess. The next stage, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), is the holy grail of computer science. It is debatable if and when we will reach the AGI stage, but if we do, it won’t be long before machines become superintelligent (ASI).

We learn from the bible that when God created the world, he had a particular role in mind for humankind:

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’”

Genesis 1:26

No other species has been gifted with the same intellectual capacity and communication skills as human beings, and this unique trait has empowered us to rule over all the animals and control the resources around us. But now, for the first time in history, a new “entity” known as Artificial Intelligence portends to take away the superior intelligence that gave us the ability to dominate the world.

Does this mean we will lose our superiority and control? Will the machines rule over all the earth’s animals, including us? The answer to this question will depend on your beliefs. Suppose you believe that human beings are organic matter driven by electric pulses and chemical reactions in our brains and that this powers our intelligence and consciousness. In that case, it is easy to conclude that superintelligent machines will overcome our superiority and rule the world. After all, machines are made of the same atoms and molecules, whether organic or not, so the only thing that differentiates them from us is their superior intelligence.

But if you believe human beings are more than organic matter — that we are spiritual beings designed by God for a specific role as described in Genesis — then the idea that machines will develop consciousness and the desire to rule the world loses its plea. According to the Christian faith, humans are much more than flesh and bones automatons programmed by DNA and driven by neurochemicals and electric pulses. God gave us a soul, an essential core of our being.

Some neuroscientists believe there is nothing beyond our brains, but if so, would superior “brains,” as in superintelligent machines, be more precious than human lives? Deep inside, we all know the answer to this question, but unless we are open to the possibility that there is more to us than physical matter, it becomes very difficult to explain why. Artificial intelligence is forcing us to ponder the age-old question that philosophers and theologians have considered: What does it mean to be human?

Soulful examines threats and opportunities from the advancement of AI and instigates deep reflections and thought-provoking discussions that will open the readers’ minds to new possibilities, preparing us to enter this unfamiliar territory. It provides practical advice to help the readers do well in a world surrounded by AI and offers a spiritual perspective to help answer the most profound questions we have been asking for thousands of years.

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Mary Hake, November 2

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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, David is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2879c/soulful-celebration-tour-giveaway