New book brings 40+ voices to the AI question nobody's answering
A new book collects essays and interviews from scientists, artists, journalists, and business leaders to examine how society actually wants to live with artificial intelligence - rather than debating whether AI will save or destroy us.
AI TO EYE: Between Code and Conscience assembles 14 essays and roughly 15-20 curated quotes from contributors across Silicon Valley and Silicon Beach. The contributors include international researchers, filmmakers, composers, actors, and a Disney executive. The book avoids technical manuals and single-expert arguments in favor of what its editor calls "deliberately polyphonic exploration."
The book's structure reflects a deliberate choice. Essays cover healthcare applications, education, intellectual property, journalism, privacy, and ethics. Quotes from interviewed subjects follow each thematic section. This approach lets competing perspectives sit alongside one another without forcing consensus.
Why the timing matters
Public conversation about AI tends to swing between two poles: utopian promises and catastrophic warnings. Media coverage amplifies fears of job loss and loss of control. Marketing materials inflate claims about AI's potential. Neither extreme leaves room for the actual question people face: how do we want this technology to work in our lives?
The book treats AI as a mirror. It reflects what we value, what we fear, and what we're willing to build.
What's inside
The 14 essays cover specific domains:
- Healthcare and inclusion applications
- Education and career disruption
- Arts, music, and creative work
- Privacy, security, and intellectual property
- Journalism and algorithmic accountability
- AI ethics and societal steering
- What remains distinctly human
An essay on AI in healthcare examines practical applications beyond hype. Another addresses whether AI tools can reduce or widen inequality. A section on the arts asks what happens when machines generate creative work - and what responsibility humans retain.
For research professionals
The book draws contributors from both California's tech centers and German-speaking research institutions. This mix of industry practitioners and academic researchers gives the collection credibility for professionals evaluating AI's real-world impact.
If you work in research or science, the book's approach differs from technical literature. It doesn't teach you how to build AI systems. It examines what happens after you do.
Publication details
AI TO EYE: Between Code and Conscience is published by vdf Hochschulverlag AG (ETH Zurich). The 144-page book costs CHF 39.00 / EUR 42.00 in paperback and eBook formats.
The book is available directly from the publisher and through Amazon.
For researchers building expertise in AI systems and their societal effects, understanding how different fields approach these questions offers practical perspective. AI Research Courses and Generative AI and LLM Courses provide the technical foundation; this book addresses the context in which that technology operates.
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