Column: The 10 Best Tech Books Of 2023

In the world of technology, 2023 has been a year of pure chaos.

It's been the rise of artificial intelligence that has breathed life into an industry desperate for the next big thing, attracting a flood of new ventures, investment and buzz. There was also the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank , the fraud allegations of cryptocurrency giant Sam Bankman , the collapse of Twitter , and Elon Musk ending the year telling advertisers to "get off" his platform . a very public scene. Google has lost the competition to Epic Games and the future and shape of the Internet seems more uncertain than ever.

Like I said: pure chaos.

Now that things are settled and we've taken a very short break, it's time to reflect on where we are and what's next and try to make sense of the mess—maybe with a book or two. Fortunately, there are many books on technology this year, and very few I feel are essential to understanding the moment. In fact, I believe it invokes the holiest and best tradition of the year-end content list.

I'm particularly drawn to those that delve into the deep societal implications of technological power and the researched history - perhaps thanks to my book Blood in the Machine, I naturally avoided inclusion on this list, and might have anyway. do justice the list Try it here too.

I would advise you to ignore most of the "big" tech books of the year, especially Walter Isaacson's Elon Musk and Michael Lewis's Going Infinite, both of which unfortunately succumb to this kind of hero worship . the creators It is increasingly outdated and often embarrassing. Especially when there are so many books that delve deeply into the impact of technology on society, and are so much more fun to read.

Without further ado, here are my 10 favorite tech, energy, AI, and Silicon Valley books of this year:

Great picture books

Similar... similar person FROM THERE Naomi Klein

What begins as a seemingly tenuous connection - people on the Internet keep confusing radical author and activist Naomi Klein with feminist-turned-conspiracy theorist - soon turns into a fascinating online and offline self-discovery - and why.

You know the place: it's where your uncle lives now, who is always obsessed with giving thanks and posts QAnon links on Facebook. Where ex-journalists post hilarious videos about coronavirus conspiracy theories on non-branded video streaming platforms. No amount of 'buts' can keep citizens away from the nest of lies that threaten to lead to anger, outrage and outright fascism 'after all the investigations'.

I've never seen anyone posit a unified theory: the coercive power of "personal branding," the real penetration of big technology into our lives, the exploitation of fear and paranoia by smart political actors, and the failure of the state. providing the basic support needed to keep people properly anchored. .in fact – in the terrible political and technological impasse we are living in. Cline's novel is also moving and often deeply relatable, even as it takes us deeper and deeper. the planes

In recent years, a close friend of mine has been walking through parts of the mirror world - instead of "going all the way," as Klein says in the text, he "just looks in the mirror here and there" and reads Klein's book. . . he decided to split it up and go back to the real book. . I can't imagine a stronger statement than this.

Palo Alto Author: Malcolm Harris

If you want to understand what really makes Silicon Valley special: the politics that hide beneath the surface (albeit not very deep), the mechanics behind our biggest tech giants, and the drivers behind the world's most famous innovation provider (hint: a decade of research is Defense - Malcolm Harris' "Palo I recommend you read the book "Alto".

Harris grew up there and has published the most comprehensive and interesting history of the country we can get this year. Deep, hard-hitting, well-written, often surprising criticism, and the story tends to rhyme as it matters. You may never have thought the same way about Stanford University, iconic tech companies like Hewlett-Packard, or even the Valley itself. I do not want.

Books on artificial intelligence

Your face is ours From the hill of Kashmir

A fast-paced, critical fiction story that follows New York Times reporter Kashmir Hill's quest for Clearview AI. Detection system. Database Many reviewers have noted that the theme of In Your Face Reading is reminiscent of real-life cyberpunk, but it's also more than that. Hill provides chapters to ensure readers understand the broader context of facial recognition technology, such as exploring its sordid eugenics nature. . origin. Citizens' mistrust of intrusive technologies has been successfully countered in several cases - their use has already been banned by police in several cities, including San Francisco - and it's more important than ever to understand this as we move forward with our focus on new technologies. the age of artificial intelligence.

The discovery of artificial intelligence By Joy Buolamwini

Much of the AI ​​debate this year has revolved around the big question of whether AI will benefit humanity or destroy us all. It's an interesting debate, but one that allows Silicon Valley companies that profit from selling technology to sidestep the pressing questions of the moment. For example, will artificial intelligence reduce or increase racial prejudice and discrimination? Buolamwi's engaging and accessible memoir follows the career of an MIT computer scientist as he explores these questions and exposes racism and inequality in the systems created and implemented by some of the biggest tech companies. The battle has only just begun, but AI exposure is a good place to start.

Bitcoin books

The number is growing By Black Fu

the symbols Author: Rachel O'Dwyer

easy money Written by Jacob Silverman and Ben McKenzie

Reports of Bitcoin's death have been exaggerated. Even after an endless series of scandals, crises, and criminal fraud convictions, Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency with no real use, is worth $43,000 at the time of writing. There will be more explosions and more accidents. To understand the reason, structure and specific nature of these crashes and booms, three major books have been written about Bitcoin this year.

Number Go Up is a non-fiction world-traveling adventure game about financial irregularities and blockchain scams that is as fun to read as it is. It's a clear introduction that links Bitcoin's sensational promise not only to fraudsters like Sam Bankman Fried, but also to countries in the Global South that have been hit hard by that promise, like the Philippines and Cambodia. He often dies spectacularly. He is smoking. I had to laugh out loud when I read it. If I hadn't slept, I would have finished in one fell swoop.

"Easy Money" focuses on many of the same themes, but instead of going deeper, it goes a little deeper; As funny and disgusting as it is, it goes into more detail.

Finally, "Tokens" provides a critical and historical look at the core concept that drives cryptocurrency: the token. This is urgent. Although Symbols is a theoretical book, it is meticulously written and easy to read; Cryptocurrency throws back the onion we're talking about, whether we're talking about "currency" or any other digital product. Consider this a practical guide to understanding the strange digital future of money. Most of us will need it, even if we don't want to.

Books for the future of the Internet

Selling the American people FROM THERE Lee McGuigan

When we talk about the Internet, we don't spend enough time talking about advertising technology. But advertising forms the basis of the commercial network as we know it, adapting our digital toilets to its incentive structures and adapting online media to its needs. In his insightful book, Lee McGuigan shows that a) the advertising industry's project to sell technology that promises more effective advertising - advertising that now shapes every corner of the Internet experience - is nothing new and, in fact, is still evolving. . decades and b) that it is ultimately terrible for society. Surprise! Don't let the fact that it's an academic book put you off: it's moving, compelling and even passionate. Ultimately, it's a call to advertisers to stop dictating the nature of our public spaces online and offline.

A lot on the internet By Taylor Lorenz

Taylor Lorenz's book collects and expands the stories that built the reputation of the internet's best culture reporter to examine how influencers took over the world. It offers a vivid and vivid account of how a determined and talented group of bloggers, content creators and self-promoters took the Internet by storm. There are few books that better prepare you to understand the cultural direction of today's (and future) multi-platform, creator-driven web.

Internet fraud Author: Corey Doctorow

Corey Doctorow published three books this year, and I almost left him off this list due to author rage. No one should be that productive. Instead, I wrote the last one.

While I enjoyed his chilling climactic novel "The Lost Cause," I'm posting his non-fiction book "Internet John" here. Doctorow popularized the term "collapse" to describe what happens when tech monopolies take over entire platforms and have to find new ways to make more money off of them: filling them with bad advertising and automation, and making everything worse on the Internet. . Internet John explains how we got here, then offers a solution: interoperability. Basically, social networks and web infrastructure communicate like email clients, instead of tying everything to each platform. It's a compelling idea, and the book is written so eloquently and convincingly that I find myself looking forward to reading each of the six books that Doctorow will no doubt publish in 2024.

Bonus round of speculative fiction

These books may not be considered "technical" books, but they are works of speculation about the future, resonate deeply with our times, and are all fascinating, so I recommend Nana's "Chain Gang All Stars" for a bit of sci-fi. holidays Kwame Adjei Briniah; "The Wrong Way" by Joan MacNeil; Debbie Urbanski's After the World and Nicholas Bingen's Ascension .

Extra bonus round

There were many excellent books that I missed or didn't include in the above list, which I have to mention here: Perfect Illusions by Coco Crum is a wonderful account of a great Mathematical thinker's quest for perfection. DC Disruption by Katie J. Wells, Kafue Attoh and Declan Cullen is a fascinating look at how and why Uber is taking over our cities. I can't wait to try Ashley Shaw's Anti-Tech , Get It! How Platform Collaboration is Changing the World, R. Trebor Schultz, The Palestine Lab, Anthony Loewenstein and Wagner James O. Wagner James O.

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