DAILY TELEGRAPH AND THE TIMES BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2017 'This is the most important conversation of our time, and Tegmark's thought-provoking book will help you join it' Stephen Hawking'This is a rich and visionary book and everyone should read it' The Times We stand at the beginning of a new era. What was once science fiction is fast becoming reality, as AI transforms war, crime, justice, jobs and society-and, even, our very sense of what it means to be human. More than any other technology, AI has the potential to revolutionize our collective future - and there's nobody better situated to explore that future than Max Tegmark, an MIT professor and co-founder of the Future of Life Institute, whose work has helped mainstream research on how to keep AI beneficial. In this deeply researched and vitally important new book, Tegmark takes us to the heart of thinking about AI and the human condition, bringing us face to face with the essential questions of our time. How can we grow our prosperity through automation, without leaving people lacking income or purpose?

News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter It's been dubbed the'Fourth Industrial Revolution', but it seems that the impact of artificial intelligence may need a bigger conversation than many of us realise. Speaking at a briefing in London ahead of the British Science Festival, Professor Jim Al-Khalili, the incoming president of the British Science Association, warned that AI will affect issues such as climate change, and even terrorism . He said: "Until maybe a couple of years ago had I been asked what is the most pressing and important conversation we should be having about our future, I might have said climate change or one of the other big challenges facing humanity, such as terrorism, antimicrobial resistance, the threat of pandemics or world poverty. "But today I am certain the most important conversation we should be having is about the future of AI.

"Anyone who wants to discuss how artificial intelligence is shaping the world should read this book. Tegmark, a physicist by training, takes a scientific approach. He doesn't spend a lot of time saying we should do this or that, and as a result, Life 3.0 offers a terrific baseline of knowledge on the subject." Tegmark successfully gives clarity to the many faces of AI, creating a highly readable book that complements The Second Machine Age's economic perspective on the near-term implications of recent accomplishments in AI and the more detailed analysis of how we might get from where we are today to AGI and even the superhuman AI in Superintelligence. . . . At one point, Tegmark quotes Emerson: 'Life is a journey, not a destination.'

All of us - not only scientists, industrialists and generals-should ask ourselves what can we do now to improve the chances of reaping the benefits of future AI and avoiding the risks. This is the most important conversation of our time, and Tegmark's thought-provoking book will help you join it (Prof. Stephen Hawking) This is a rich and visionary book and everyone should read it. The transformational consequences of AI may soon be upon us -but will they be utopian or catastrophic? The jury is out, but this enlightening, lively and accessible book by a distinguished scientist helps us to assess the odds.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world around us. From automated factories that build everything without human intervention, to computer systems capable of beating world masters at some of the most complex games, AI is powering our society into the future – but what happens when this artificial intelligence becomes greater than ours? Should we fear automated weapon turning on us, or Hollywood-style "skull-stomping robots"? We spoke to Max Tegmark, an MIT professor and co-founder of the Future of Life Institute, about his book, Life 3.0, in which he answers some of the key questions we need to solve to make the future of artificial intelligence one that benefits all of humankind. Can you describe your book in a nutshell?

Opportunity and crisis: A report from McKinsey has warned that late adopters of AI might be left playing catch-up indefinitely. A professor who is shorty set to take over as the President of the British Science Association has said that AI is the biggest issue of our time, and that he is concerned we are not discussing it enough. According to a report by McKinsey, by 2030, around 70% of companies will have adopted one category of AI. But, says McKinsey, less than half will have adopted what it has described as the five categories of AI, by that date. The report also predicted that AI could be worth $13 trillion to the global economy between now and 2030.

'Artificial intelligence poses a greater challege to the world than terrorism, the incoming president of the British Science Association has warned. Professor Jim Al-Khalili, a physicist at the University of Surrey, warned that progress in artificial intelligence is'happening too fast' and is not being regulated well enough. He said that AI will make Britain increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks and lead to greater inequality as thousands are rendered unemployed. At a briefing in London ahead of the British Science Festival in Hull this week, he said: 'Until maybe a couple of years ago had I been asked what is the most pressing and important conversation we should be having about our future, I might have said climate change or one of the other big challenges facing humanity, such as terrorism, antimicrobial resistance, the threat of pandemics or world poverty. 'But today I am certain the most important conversation we should be having is about the future of AI. It will dominate what happens with all of these other issues for better or for worse.

Until maybe a couple of years ago had I been asked what is the most pressing and important conversation we should be having about our future, I might have said climate change or one of the other big challenges facing humanity, such as terrorism, antimicrobial resistance, the threat of pandemics or world poverty,

Artificial intelligence poses a greater challege to the world than terrorism, the incoming president of the British Science Association has warned. Professor Jim Al-Khalili, a physicist at the University of Surrey, warned that progress in artificial intelligence is'happening too fast' and is not being regulated well enough. He said that AI will make Britain increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks and lead to greater inequality as thousands are rendered unemployed. At a briefing in London ahead of the British Science Festival in Hull this week, he said: 'Until maybe a couple of years ago had I been asked what is the most pressing and important conversation we should be having about our future, I might have said climate change or one of the other big challenges facing humanity, such as terrorism, antimicrobial resistance, the threat of pandemics or world poverty. 'But today I am certain the most important conversation we should be having is about the future of AI.

Original, accessible, and provocative….Tegmark successfully gives clarity to the many faces of AI, creating a highly readable book that complements The Second Machine Age's economic perspective on the near-term implications of recent accomplishments in AI and the more detailed analysis of how we might get from where we are today to AGI and even the superhuman AI in Superintelligence…. At one point, Tegmark quotes Emerson: 'Life is a journey, not a destination.' The same may be said of the book itself. Enjoy the ride, and you will come out the other end with a greater appreciation of where people might take technology and themselves in the years ahead.