If the readings on productivity They are a minefield in which you have to dodge bombs before finding gold, the AI readings are even more so. Most are divided into two large groups:
- Unbridled techno-optimism.
- Apocalyptic catastrophism.
And that’s if you’re lucky and it’s not a scam to sell you a course.
That’s why I celebrate when I find a book like ‘Co-intelligence‘, by Ethan Mollick, who shines for its balance. Cold head. It recognizes the existential risks, but focuses on how to pragmatically leverage AI today.
As a Wharton professor specializing in innovation and entrepreneurship, Mollick has been on the front lines of observing and experimenting with AI in education.
Its central concept of ‘cointelligence’ –see AI as a co-worker, not as a threat nor as a messianic savior– is quite persuasive. And he gives concrete examples from his classes at Wharton to show how AI can amplify human capabilities instead of replacing them.
Perhaps the most valuable is in his ideas about how AI is already transforming education and employment (perhaps in some latitudes more than others). For example, in his analysis of how students already use ChatGPT and how that forces rethink assessments and homework.
He also has a very clear vision of how companies should adapt to this panorama: not by banning AI, but by finding ways to integrate it productively.
On the B side of the album, the book has some weak points. For example, it tangentially transmits a certain hasteas if it had been written in haste to take advantage of the timing. Some sections, especially those that point to predictions for the future, could have directly been better developed.
What I find most problematic is the over-reliance on examples from academia. His experience as a professor is valuable and supports the book, but his case studies focus too much on university professors… and elite students.
This greatly limits the applicability of the conclusions to sectors other than academia. and there I missed a somewhat more diverse analysis of use cases in SMEs or other work sectors. It would have greatly strengthened his argument about the universal adaptability of AI.
Despite these asterisks, ‘Cointelligence’ is a good contribution to the literature of the early years of generative AI. A good framework to think about AI that does not fall into fear but does not allow itself to be overwhelmed by the train of thought. hype.
It is a book that lacks all the answers, but that is not what it intends. Rather it brings us closer to asking ourselves the right questions. It’s already a lot.
For anyone looking to understand what position to take in this rise of generative AI, I find this a good read. It is not a perfect book, but at least it offers a calm perspective and nuanced analysis. Surely it’s what we need most at this point in the film.
Co-intelligence: Living and working with AI
In Xataka | I thought I should always read new books, until rereading showed me what I was missing
Featured image | Xataka, Connect