Silicon Valley Readers Explore Potential Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Society – The Mercury News

The books selected for reading in Silicon Valley next year explore the implications of artificial intelligence, from non-fiction works about AI’s potential impact on society to fictional stories about how it can be used for both exploitation and connection.

The District’s community engagement program features books on the theme “Empowering Humanity: Technology for a Better World.” Silicon Valley Readings kicks off on January 30, 2025, with a free, livestreamed in-person event at De Anza College in Cupertino. The Mercury News’ Sal Pizarro will moderate a discussion with the authors of the three featured books.

Dr. Fei-Fei Li, recently named the “Godmother of Artificial Intelligence” by Wired Magazine, shares her personal experiences and views on the development and potential of the technology in Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery in the Dawn of Artificial Intelligence. “

“Mountain in the Sea,” a science fiction novel by former Santa Clara University professor Ray Nayler, follows a marine biologist who studies a highly intelligent species of octopus, sparking a global race to understand and potentially exploit the species.

Charlie Dyroff’s novel Solitude and Company is set in a near-future New York where isolation has seemingly been eradicated. The novel follows a woman tasked with training an AI companion.

In addition to a curated list of books, Silicon Valley Reads will host a series of events throughout February and March where participants can hear from leading figures in the AI ​​movement, learn how technology is shaping our daily lives, discuss the ethical implications of AI and other emerging technologies, and learn about innovative ways to use technology to solve social problems.

Silicon Valley Readings is hosted annually by the Santa Clara County Library District, Santa Clara County Office of Education and the San Jose Public Library. A full schedule of events will be available on the website siliconvalleyreads.org in the new year.