Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant or abstract technology. It is rapidly reshaping how we work, create, decide and organise society. But who is really in control of this transformation, and how can ordinary citizens, workers and communities influence its direction? This course explores two important and contrasting perspectives from recent books on AI.
In Taming Silicon Valley, Gary Marcus argues that current AI systems are being deployed faster than our ability to govern them, raising urgent questions about accountability, public oversight and whose interests these technologies ultimately serve. In Co-Intelligence, Ethan Mollick offers a more optimistic view, suggesting that AI’s greatest impact will be as a partner to human creativity, judgement and problem-solving rather than a wholesale replacement for human labour.
Together, these books provide a balanced and accessible framework for thinking about AI not as an unstoppable force, but as a set of choices - technical, political and cultural. Through guided discussion, clear explanations and short group activities, participants will reflect on how AI is already affecting everyday life and work, and consider how society might shape its development in ways that support human values, fairness and wellbeing. No technical background is required. This course is designed for anyone curious about AI’s real-world impact and the role humans still play in directing its future.
- Taming Silicon Valley: How We Can Ensure That AI Works for Us, Gary F. Marcus
- Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, Ethan Mollick
- Introduction to the two books and authors
- Taming Silicon Valley: governance, regulation, corporate influence and public accountability
- Co-Intelligence: augmentation, creativity, productivity and the future of work
- Compare and contrast: who controls AI vs who benefits from AI
- What does “AI that works for society” actually look like?
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Summarise the key arguments in Taming Silicon Valley and Co-Intelligence
- Discuss competing visions for how AI should be governed and used
- Reflect on the role of human creativity and judgement in an AI-augmented world
- Identify tensions between corporate incentives, democratic values and public benefit
- Compare regulatory proposals and human-centred approaches to AI’s future
