A Brief History of Intelligence, by Max Bennet
I really enjoyed this book. It was essentially two very interesting books woven together: an excellent history of the evolutionary biology of neuroscience and the history of the development of artificial intelligence. Bennett alternates between these parallel narratives, showing how our understanding of the brain’s evolution has influenced AI development and vice versa. His ability to explain complex concepts from both fields in an accessible way – from the emergence of the first neural networks in primitive organisms to the latest developments in machine learning – made the material engaging.
The book makes the connections between biological and artificial intelligence without oversimplifying either subject. Whether discussing the evolutionary adaptations that shaped our cognitive abilities or examining breakthroughs in AI research, Bennett maintains a clear narrative that kept me interested in the subject matter. The structure, bouncing between these two topics, created a perspective that helped me understand both fields.
I listened to it on audible and found the narrator George Newbern good and his voice still sounded good at 1.2 speed where I tend to listen to most books.