A human-centered approach to artificial intelligence will ensure human control over the future's powerful and helpful digital devices and services
Pervasive AI narratives foresee a world in which algorithms pose an existential risk to humanity. But there is another, more hopeful perspective on how this amazing technology can change our lives.
Researchers, developers, business leaders, policy makers, and others are expanding the technology-centered scope of artificial intelligence (AI) to include human-centered AI (HCAI) ways of thinking. This expansion from an algorithm-focused view to a human-centered perspective, can shape the future of technology to better serve human needs. Educators, designers, software engineers, product managers, evaluators, and government agency staffers can build on AI-driven technologies to design products
and services that make life better for people, enable people to care for each other, and support their creativity. Humans have always been tool builders, and now they are super-tool builders, whose inventions can improve our health, family life, education, business, the environment, and much more.
The remarkable progress in algorithms for machine and deep learning have opened the doors to new opportunities, and some dark possibilities. However, a bright future awaits those who build on their working methods by including HCAI strategies of design and testing. As many technology companies and thought leaders have, the goal is not to replace people, but to empower them by making design choices that give humans control over technology.
In Human-Centered AI, Professor Ben Shneiderman offers an optimistic realist's guide to how artificial intelligence can be used to augment and enhance humans' lives. This project bridges the gap between ethical considerations and practical realities to successful, reliable systems. Digital cameras, communications services, and navigation apps are just the beginning. Shneiderman shows how future applications will support health and wellness, improve education, accelerate business, and
connect people in reliable, safe, and trustworthy ways that respect human values, rights, justice, and dignity.
Industry Reviews
The book will be of interest to anyone interested in AI-including software engineers, designers, computer scientists, policymakers and philosophers -- and our future. Its writing style is accessible, and consequently can be read by both experts and novices. It may also be useful for pedagogical purposes. * Gloria Andrada, Metascience *
does a great job in promoting HCAI, putting human and societal needs center stage in the design and application of AI, and in presenting and discussing several very practical ideas * Marc Steen, Prometheus *
Your new book, Human-Centered AI, is the most balanced, pragmatic and optimistic analysis of artificial intelligence that I've read. You lay out a comprehensive guide to building reliable, safe, and trustworthy applications that feature both high levels of human control and high levels of automation. A critical part of your argument is that if we want to achieve a flourishing and humane future it's essential for us to understand that computers are not in fact people, and vice versa. * John Dalton, Fidelity Center for Applied Technology Newsletter *
The authors approach could not be more important as a moral and normative position on the development of the field, and should be taken as a starting point for public policy discussion... the book is essential reading and its fundamental argument constitutes a moral imperative. * David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer *
A focus on developing AI that helps people will dissolve much of the fear of lost jobs and machine control... Few books on AI discuss the importance to good design of applying the right sort of pressure to the corporate owners of AI systems to push them into social fairness. This one does. * Wendy Grossman, ZDNet *
This book combines persuasive arguments with catchy lists and phrases it also is meticulously researched with extensive citations and well-written for a broad audience , HCI News
This expert believes we can create AI systems that can have both high levels of automation and human control... Shneiderman provides guidelines covering visual design, previews of expected actions, audit trails, near-miss and failure reviews, and others that can help ensure reliability, safety, and trustworthiness. Basically, by acknowledging the limits of both human and artificial intelligence, designers and developers of automated products can find the right division of labor between humans and AI. * Ben Dickson, thenextweb.com *
the book [is] especially relevant to AI researchers and developers...Expanding the variety of inputs into AI design will be essential to achieving Shneiderman's transformative vision of a more human-and humane-future. * Angelique Taylor, Issues in Science & Technology *
The book is well-structured and a delight to read. The coverage is comprehensive. But it will be controversial. AI scientists and engineers, and anyone concerned about the scientific, social, ethical, legal or philosophical impacts of AI should engage with the theses of Human-Centered AI, even if it is to contest them at times. * Alan Mackworth, University of British Columbia, Canada *
From design metaphors to the much needed governance structures, this new book by Ben Shneiderman is a tour de force into the increasingly important topic of human-centred AI. Going beyond the many benefits and dark possibilities, the book provides a fresh vision of AI as a supertool for human wellbeing. A must read. * Virginia Dignum, Umea University, Sweden *
Intellectually re-positioning the practice of AI is the most important social movement of our age. Human-Centered AI is a moral imperative. The graveyard of AI products is replete with well-intended systems centered on the technology. Don't make the same mistake-adopt an HCAI mindset. * Sean McGregor, Founder and Project Lead, the AI Incident Database (Partnership on AI), USA *
For many years, the debate surrounding AI has been all about a dystopian or utopian-driven future. Ben Shneiderman, in his informative and timely new book presents a fresh look on the future of AI; one that considers how to empower and augment humans rather than automate and replace them. Throughout the book, that is illustrated with convincing case studies, he presents a new discourse that rethinks the benefits of AI advances from a human perspective. A truly trailblazing work that is both provocative and persuasive, inviting academics, policy-makers, industry researchers and the general public to engage with a new, forward-thinking paradigm of where humans meet AI. * Yvonne Rogers, University College London, UK *
A critical call for AI to be human-centered...offers insightful lessons and practical takeaways. * Avi Parush, Management and Business Review *
Human-Centered AI makes a case for AI systems that amplify and extend human abilities and performance. * Gloria Andrada, Metascience *
