The Most Human Human: What Artificial Intelligence Teaches Us About Being Alive
Christian's first book and a foundational introduction to his examination of humanity, intelligence, and computing.
Author guide
Brian Christian Books in Order
Brian Christian is an American author, computer scientist, cognitive scientist, and programmer. He wrote The Most Human Human and The Alignment Problem and co-authored Algorithms to Live By with Tom Griffiths. His work connects artificial intelligence, machine learning, philosophy, psychology, and human decision-making.
nonfictionpopular sciencetechnologyphilosophy
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Novels (2)
- The Most Human Human: What Artificial Intelligence Teaches Us About Being Alive
nonfiction · 2011
A playful, profound book that is not only a testament to one man's efforts to be deemed more human than a computer, but also a rollicking exploration of what it means to be human in the first place. “Terrific. ... Art and science meet an…
- The Alignment Problem: Machine Learning and Human Values
nonfiction · 2020
"A jaw-dropping exploration of everything that goes wrong when we build AI systems-and the movement to fix them. Today's "machine-learning" systems, trained by data, are so effective that we've invited them to see and hear for us-and to…
Collaborations (1)
- Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions
co-authored nonfiction · 2016
Algorithms to Live By looks at the simple, precise algorithms that computers use to solve the complex 'human' problems that we face, and discovers what they can tell us about the nature and origin of the mind. An audiobook version can be…
Frequently asked questions about Brian Christian
Who is Brian Christian?
Brian Christian is an American computer scientist, cognitive scientist, programmer, and nonfiction author whose work examines the human implications of computing and artificial intelligence.
Sources: brianchristian.org (opens in a new tab)nationalacademies.org (opens in a new tab)
What did Brian Christian study?
He studied computer science and philosophy at Brown University, poetry and nonfiction at the University of Washington, and cognitive science and machine learning at the University of Oxford.
What was Brian Christian’s career before and alongside his writing?
He worked as a software developer for startups and Fortune 50 companies, later developed intranet portals for Johnson & Johnson, and served as McSweeney’s director of technology from 2013 to 2022.
What influences Brian Christian’s work?
His work brings computer science into conversation with philosophy, psychology, literature, the arts, and questions about human values, especially in relation to artificial intelligence and decision-making.
Sources: brianchristian.org (opens in a new tab)us.macmillan.com (opens in a new tab)
What awards or major recognition has Brian Christian received?
A major honor is the 2022 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communication from the National Academies, recognizing his public-facing work on science and technology.
Sources: nationalacademies.org (opens in a new tab)nationalacademies.org (opens in a new tab)