Hello World

Hello World Synopsis

From the host of The Rest is Science podcast and star of The Celebrity Traitors Season 2. Hannah Fry takes us on a tour of the good, the bad and the downright ugly of the algorithms that surround us.

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'Stylish, thoughtful . . . One of the best books yet written on data and algorithms' The Times

You are accused of a crime. Who would you rather determined your fate - a human or an algorithm?

An algorithm is more consistent and less prone to error of judgement. Yet a human can look you in the eye before passing sentence.

Welcome to the age of the algorithm, the story of a not-too-distant future where machines rule supreme, making important decisions - in healthcare, transport, finance, security, what we watch, where we go, even who we send to prison. So how much should we rely on them? What kind of future do we want?

In Hello World Hannah Fry lifts the lid on algorithms' inner workings, demonstrates their power, exposes their limitations, and examines whether they really are an improvement on the humans they are replacing.

'Brilliantly clear . . . Fry succinctly outlines the ethical issues that beset AI' Sunday Times

'This short, sharp book on the power and dangers of algorithms offers one of the clearest explanations of a complex subject.' Financial Times

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE AND ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE
A BBC RADIO 4: BOOK OF THE WEEK