12 Bytes: How artificial intelligence will change the way we live and love

A great compilation of essays which I found informative and thought provoking especially with regard to AI and where it could be heading.

We were really pleased to be offered this book to read, as it's not a title that any of our book club members would necessarily have chosen individually. We were split between those who found the book a challenge to get into and read, and those who found it an interesting eye-opener to issues that they hadn't considered in depth previously. Overall the consensus was that it was a more difficult read than other books we had read and discussed as a group, which proved off-putting for some, but for those who were able to delve into the content to a greater depth, it was thought-provoking and highlighted interesting and topical issues.

I’ve read and enjoyed a few of Jeanette Winterson’s novels and her excellent memoir ‘Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?’ This seemed like a huge departure for the author, and is not a book I would have selected for myself, so I was pleased and intrigued when it came up at book club. I knew more or less nothing about AI, and I understand a deal more now, thanks to the storytelling style Jeanette Winterson employs in her 12 essays.
The history of computing and AI appealed to me and is cross-referenced throughout. However, I was lost in places and even skipped some sections where I was not fully engaged. I believe the essays are the result of ongoing research, and for this reason they don’t have great cohesion, but do give a sense of the constant evolution and development of AI. I found the subject matter equally fascinating and terrifying. One thing that really stuck with me was the theory that AI might be humankind’s last big invention. Food for thought indeed.

I found this book absolutely fascinating. I know very little about AI and this book opened up a whole new world of areas in which it may play a part in the future. It has to be said that some of them were very alarming indeed. Even nowadays it seems that social media of any sort is far more invasive than I had realised.

Jeanette Winterson has a particular interest in AI and has conducted research into the subject. She assembles her findings in this book in the form of 12 essays, each tackling a different subject in the given field.

I used to work in AI, albeit many moons ago, and things have come a long way since then. As a result I was very much looking forward to reading this collection of essays. Many facts were presented and a lot of very valid and noteworthy ideas were posited, which made for a thought-provoking read. Although I didn’t feel that the book was entirely successful (see below), there was enough content for me to have been glad I read it. The writing style made the book accessible to everyone, no mean feat when it comes to a book with such potentially difficult subject matter.

Although this book presented some useful information and some interesting ideas, I did not necessarily feel that Jeanette’s interpretation of the facts gelled with my own view of the situation. I was also hoping for, probably expecting, a more in-depth philosophical debate about the issues. This book felt more like the musings of the author than a well thought out, considered analysis of the impact the new generation of AI could have on humankind. In addition, the author’s opinions were rather too prevalent, her personal preferences causing her to go off-piste on a number occasions where I would have preferred hard fact and some discussion surrounding those facts. Overall I don’t really feel that the book quite delivered (which is not to say that I didn’t enjoy it) and left me feeling like I wanted more in-depth analysis..

Would I recommend this book? Yes I would actually, despite my reservations. For the layperson it is an interesting book and if it gives the (in my view) wrong impression at times, this kind of speculation is very subjective anyway. If it makes people think, then to a large extent it has succeeded in what it set out to do.

Not quite what I was expecting but overall, I enjoyed this book and found it to be interesting, thought-provoking and eye-opening. I definitely think twice now before just clicking “accept” on all the buttons associated with cookies etc on the websites that I visit.
I enjoyed the look back in time to the ‘seeds’ of AI and the interesting pictures of things like early computers, robots etc that can be looked up on the internet too.
Very early in the book, Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is quoted by the author in illustrating how we are ‘bestowing animation upon lifeless matter’. Having recently read “Frankenstein”, this resonated. A few parts of the book got a bit too ‘sciencey’ for me but “Zone three - Sex and Other Stories” made up for those!
I scored this book 7 out of 10.

Methley Book Club review: “12 Bytes” split the group, with some readers not being engaged by it at all and others enjoying it. All agreed it was quite a challenging book and difficult to read straight through from cover to cover and some group members had just selected particular essays to try. The essays did feel like the writings of an academic, which some struggled with but others commented on the easy style and clear descriptions and enjoyed the author’s little asides!
However, “12 Bytes” did generate an excellent discussion at our meeting which went way beyond the content of the book as we shared our own experiences with AI and our thoughts about gender bias, feminism, the glass ceiling and continuing male dominance in STEM careers.
Overall, we found “12 Bytes” to be interesting, quite scary & very thought-provoking. Our average score for the book was 5.8 out of 10, with 17 individual scores ranging between 2 and 8.

Scary! This is a must read for anyone with an online presence. Fascinating subject essays were bitesize, so you could dip in and out of the book. It made me want to switch off all devices and go dark for more of the time than I do at present. I will certainly be less inclined to ‘like’ or comment on any social media posts in future. An intense and thought provoking read.

I've only been able to read part of the book but have formed a fairly firm opinion as follows: I strongly advise a read of this book; its a book of philosophy, history, enlightenment, politics and prediction. A 'must read' if you're ready to be disturbed and perhaps concerned. As I age, I find that I have less rather than more understanding of the world and people that I am surrounded by - I'm questioning the real meaning of words that I have known and used for some 80 years; this is the burden and privilege of (for a man in his ninth decade) longevity.
Thanks for passing this book to me.
- Malcolm, Spire u3a, OBC

Not a book I would have picked off a book shelve to read so thankful to my book club for providing it as a brilliant thought provoking read.
Fascinating subject written in a witty and engrossing way. I read each essay then wanted to read them again to discover what I had missed on the first read. This book will not be leaving my personal library as I want to read over and over again. (and it will not be downloaded on to a kindle as I feel safer reading it by lamp light away from prying computer eyes)
Where and what will we be in another 10 years as machinery is developing so quickly with huge impacts on our lives

The author writes in a quirky style with the serious stuff lightened by acerbic and witty asides which are amusing and still thought provoking. I read this as a philosophical style particularly as Jeanette refers back to many a past philosopher - and of course much of science derives from philosophical thought. I have read other sources on many of the topics covered so it is good to read another slant which provokes a great of thought on the matters raised. There are bits which are difficult to understand or grasp for a lay person but that is not a fault, and hopefully encourages the reader to explore further.

The future is scary as we have voluntarily given up so much already to a few very rich people (mostly men) without realising what we have done but there are strands of optimism and Jeanette ultimately is optimistic which is encouraging. Where is humanity heading and are we worth saving?

So a good thought provoking read and I recommend everyone to read it!

The author explores various aspects of computers and AI from a feminist perspective. She looks at the role of women in developing computing and looking at the issues raised by new technology. Her asides are witty. Some essays are harder going than others, but generally they are engaging, if quirky. There are quite complex references to science and maths which I didn't always follow . The author also makes some surprising leaps in the connections she sees. Her observations about religion, power and capitalism are all interesting and thought provoking.
Definitely recommend this as a book to read. You may not agree with all her views but there is a lot of valuable information here and challenging observations.

This was Love(lace) at first byte. The book begins with a lively survey of the history of AI. This is no dry chronology but a tale bursting with brilliant personalities, none greater than Ada Lovelace, the Countess computer programming pioneer, for whom Winterson rails against the sexism which marginalised her genius even well beyond her lifetime - a pattern with brilliant women that is repeated again and again until the present.

Throughout the book she is alert to how new technologies have been used by the rich and powerful to exploit the rest of us. What should free us, often appears to perpetuate the white male hold on power. With AI she discusses the mechanism by which biased and incomplete data sets result in algorithms that amplify the inequalities. Meanwhile, unaccountable corporations like Google and Facebook become the new global empires, amassing fortunes and political clout. All on the foundations of our data, freely if unthinkingly given. We have surrendered our privacy to the false god of Choice.

Winterson's writing sparkles with intelligence and rests on some hard-graft research over many years studying the field. She perfectly captures our concerns and discomfort about AI but is also alert to the possibilities of technology addressing societal problems. Will it cross the line to being in some way "alive"? Does the question even make sense? Surely, it's not long now: not If but When things around us pass the "Turing Test" and at least sound indistinguishable from human intelligence. But in confronting these preoccupations, the author cleverly turns the questions around: instead of fearing a soulless Frankenstein's monster, shouldn't we be asking if we humans, biological machines produced by evolution - do we have souls at all?

12 Bytes began as separate essays. Some repetition is understandable. And there is some variety in styles: in the third section the writing is choppy: one sentence, one paragraph. But the writing is always effective and has room to breathe. We are given space to think. I loved this book. It is provocative, open-minded and entertaining. Jeanette Winterson is a distinctive voice: she is sharp, often sparklingly witty and her barbs against inequality are always on the money. She prefers the term "alternative" to "artificial" intelligence, and she provides us with alternative ways to think about the future that is already at our door.

Whilst the book is a group of twelve essays my view upon reading it, was that a group of twelve lectures seemed to be nearer the mark. This said however I found it to be an informative and educational read.
At the time of Babbage and his mammoth computer, Artificial Intelligence (AI) was a faraway dream to the main population akin to the Star Wars films. Today however it is all around in varying applications and uses.
The author is obviously a prolific writer and has an easy style with clear descriptions of a very dry subject. Her obvious story telling shone through as she linked together Frankenstein, Enigma, Bionic body parts, 3Dprinting to develop the flow of the rapid development of computer technology.
There are glass ceilings in many industrial and financial institutions. Yet the author was keen to inform the reader that this was not the case as many women worked hard in the development of technology only for their male managers to receive the plaudits.
Many things to consider in respect of how glibly we click the ‘accept’ button for all cookies when using the internet. Do doubt a vast majority of the population have no inkling of what we personal information we have allowed others to track.
I found the essay on ‘love dolls’ very humorous and wonder how deep her research went??
Overall, as a reader who has no connection to AI development welcomed the opportunity to understand how the development of technology will undoubtedly impact in some form on our lives.
I would not have taken this book from the shelves to read but as a member of a book club, I thank the reading agency for choosing our book club to read and review this book.
Peter Kerins
Methley Book Club Rated 7/10