Why people recommend it
Human Compatible by Stuart Russell is an authoritative examination of artificial intelligence and the control problem written by a leading pioneer in the field. Chris Williamson frequently recommended and discussed the book across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom, noting that the author literally wrote the worldwide textbook on artificial intelligence. Williamson explained that the book delves deeply into computer science, human psychology, and the ways that algorithms interact with human preferences. He compared its insights on artificial general intelligence and existential risk to works by Nick Bostrom and Toby Ord. Williamson also mentioned bringing up the text during various conversations, including chats with Chase Hughes and Ana Kasparian, to explore how modern algorithms predict and nudge human behavior. Additionally, Sam Harris referenced Human Compatible during an appearance on the Lex Fridman Podcast while discussing the broader landscape of AI safety and control challenges. Listeners and hosts consistently highlighted the title as an essential resource for understanding how humanity can maintain control over increasingly sophisticated autonomous technologies.
Who recommended it
- Chris Williamson Recommended
- Sam Harris Discussed
- Melanie Mitchell Discussed
Chris Williamson — 9 mentions
“Interestingly, the coolest thing I learned about this is from Stuart Russell, guy that wrote the textbook on AI... He wrote this book called Human Compatible. He's talking about computers, humans, some psychology, a lot of AI and and and computer science.”
“There's a great book human compatible by Stuart Russell. Have you read that? I have.”
“and um he wrote a new book called human compatible where he's talking about how algorithms are interacting with humans”
“I had this conversation with a guy called Stuart Russell who wrote This Book human compatible so the worldwide textbook on AI”
“the thing that I learned from Stuart Russell guy that wrote human compatible he's also like it's the textbook when it comes to computer science”
“i had stuart russell on the show the guy that wrote the book on artificial intelligence and his most recent one human compatible is about the control problem”
“uh uh what is it human compatible by stuart russell which came out last year that's also fantastic”
“stuart russell's human compatible as well his new one is awesome”
“i gotta give you another another thing uh that i've recently come across from stuart russell's human compatible which is about the control problem for artificial general intelligence very similar to super intelligence by nick bostrom or the precipice by toby ord if you're into existential risk”
Sam Harris — 1 mention
“His book is "Human Compatible."”
Melanie Mitchell — 1 mention
“so it was spurred by a earlier New York Times op-ed by Stewart Russell which was summarizing his book called human compatible”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
- Superintelligence
- The Precipice
- Artificial Intelligence
- Artificial Intelligence: a Modern Approach
- Atomic Habits
- Being there
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“so i think the um the current approach to ai which has been there really since the beginning and in the book human compatible i call it the standard model which is a word that people use in physics to refer to you know all laws of physics that we pretty much agree or write”
“uh so the book human compatible is available uh including as an audio book with a very plummy accent”