Eric Schmidt unveils new book on the future of AI at Princeton University

Eric Schmidt, an accomplished technologist, entrepreneur and philanthropist known for his pivotal role as former chairman and chief executive officer of Google, will return to his alma mater Princeton on Nov. 20 to discuss “Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit,” the new book he co-authored with Craig Mundie and the late Henry Kissinger. Charting a course between blind faith and unjustified fear, “Genesis” was written to help today’s decision-makers seize the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI) without falling prey to the darker forces it can unleash, according to its publisher, Little, Brown and Co. The book advances the urgent conversation surrounding AI with a broad and incisive view of the technology’s potential impact on humanity and the planet. “Individuals, nations, cultures and faiths … will need to decide whether to allow AI to become an intermediary between humans and reality,” the authors write. They analyze AI’s promise and perils in seven vital areas — discovery, truth, politics, security, prosperity, science and fate — and warn of how quickly change may come. “AI seems to compress human timescales. Objects in the future are closer than they appear.” Schmidt’s lecture in Princeton is a fitting location for the visionary technologist and alumnus to speak about the issues and opportunities raised by the book. The University is making bold investments in the study and research of artificial intelligence. A Google AI lab opened on Nassau Street in 2019, and the University announced plans last December to establish an artificial intelligence hub for New Jersey in partnership with Gov. Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. This fall, Princeton launched its Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence to strengthen its leadership in the field and incorporate interdisciplinary research from across the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities into AI technology initiatives.