Futureproof, Kevin Roose
Futureproof, Kevin Roose
3 Rating(s)
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Futureproof
9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation

Author: Kevin Roose

Narrator: Mike Chamberlain

Unabridged: 6 hr 11 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/09/2021

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

“While we need to rewrite the rules of the twenty-first-century economy, Kevin’s book is a great look at how people can do this on a personal level to always put humanity first.”—Andrew Yang

“A clear, compelling strategy for surviving the next wave of technology with our jobs—and souls—intact.”—Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit
 
The machines are here. After decades of sci-fi fantasies and hype, artificial intelligence has leapt out of research labs and Silicon Valley engineering departments and into the center of our lives. Algorithms shape everything around us, from the news we see to the products we buy and the relationships we form. And while the debate over whether or not automation will destroy jobs rages on, a much more important question is being ignored:
 
What does it mean to be a human in a world that is increasingly 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 people can succeed in the machine age by making themselves irreplaceably human. He shares the secrets of people and organizations that have survived technological change, and explains how we can protect our own futures, with lessons like
 
• Do work that is surprising, social, and scarce (the types of work machines can’t do).
• Demote your phone.
• Work near other people.
• Treat A.I. like an army of chimpanzees.
• Add more friction to your life.
 
Roose rejects the conventional wisdom that in order to compete with machines, we have to become more like them—hyper-efficient, data-driven, code-writing workhorses. Instead, he says, we should let machines be machines, and focus on doing the kinds of creative, inspiring, and meaningful things only humans can do.

* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF that contains the Appendix and Reading List from the book.

About The Author

Kevin Roose is a technology columnist for The New York Times. His column, “The Shift,” examines the intersection of tech, business, and culture. He is the host of the Rabbit Hole podcast, and a regular guest on The Daily. He writes and speaks frequently about topics including including automation and AI, social media, disinformation and cybersecurity, and digital wellness. Previously, he was a writer at New York magazine and the co–executive producer of Real Future, a documentary TV series about technology. He is the New York Times bestselling author of two previous books, Young Money and The Unlikely Disciple. He lives in Oakland, California. 


Reviews

Goodreads review by Vovka on April 02, 2021

I greatly enjoyed 80% of this book. It's a nicely balanced examination of current thinking on automation. I worked at Automation Anywhere, one of the companies talked about in the book, and agree with the author that the optimistic pablum dished up by "visionary" founders seems served to disguise th......more

Goodreads review by Jignesh on August 25, 2022

Ah, well! Another dystopian book about the rise of AI and Automation? Another catastrophic take on rise of automation? I was intrigued by the title, by it's reviews, and by the credibility of Kevin Roose. I appreciate how well this book is written and researched (of course, what else did you expect?......more

Goodreads review by Soumya on February 06, 2022

Futureproof: 9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation isn’t one of those “technology is going to destroy the world” books — Kevin Roose loves technology and takes an honest look at how we’re using it today and our responsibility in how we choose to use it in the future. I also appreciated that th......more

Goodreads review by BookLab by Bjorn on June 22, 2021

Why would you read a book on AI each year? Because you want keep a watching eye on developments in that field and see how you can preserve a competitive edge in a world of rapid automation. And because it fascinating, both the tech in itself and the possible impact it has on what it means to be human......more

Goodreads review by Yev on September 12, 2021

I've previously read one of Roose's books and some of his journalism, which I've liked, so since this was relatively short and the subject matter seemed interesting, I thought I may as well read this recently published book. This book is several different things and I don't think they ought to have a......more


Quotes

“Engaging . . . Roose delves into this crisis with an accessible touch that nicely explains how AI is infiltrating every part of our society and workforce.”The Times

“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.”—Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit

“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 these changes, Roose’s book is a great look at how people can act on a personal level to always put humanity first.”—Andrew Yang

“While I think that Skynet is still going to send the Terminator back to try to kill humanity someday, it’s worth your time and attention—if that is still a thing in the addled Internet age—to read Kevin Roose’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 supercomputer 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 Roose show you how.”—Kara Swisher, host of Sway and Pivot, New York Times contributing opinion writer