Raising AI: How Artificial Intelligence Is Shaping Us―and How We Shape It

“I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking a genuine exploration of artificial intelligence beyond the headlines. Complex topics are brilliantly simplified, transformers are likened to an attentive party guest, and AI transparency is explained using an example of a child doing Algebra. Shah brings the book to life by weaving in personal stories and pop culture references, making it insightful and truly enjoyable to read.” ―Howard Y. Lakougna, Senior Program Officer, Gates Foundation, USA

“You can raise kids – can you raise an AI? In Chirag Shah’s vision for our future in a world with ever more rapidly evolving AI, we not only can, we must. Shah proposes a path forward in which we nurture and teach AI as we do our children. Sometimes with a stick, sometimes with a carrot, but building towards a brighter future and learning about ourselves in the process. Shah conveys his vision through a series of entertaining and accessible stories from sci-fi blockbusters, real-life examples of AI helping and hurting us, and his personal journey as an AI researcher and as a parent.” ―Tracy Holloway King, Senior Principal Scientist, Adobe Inc., USA

“What if the most important question about AI isn’t what it can do – but how we raise it? Drawing on nearly three decades of research and real-world engagement with industry and policy, this distinguished professor offers a compelling argument that building AI responsibly is less like engineering and more like parenting – not about control, but about instilling the right values. Neither alarmist nor naively optimistic, this is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand – and shape – what comes next.” ―Sam Oh, Distinguished Professor, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea

“This book goes beyond the technology-it challenges us to reflect on the values, trade-offs, and responsibilities that come with building intelligent systems. Shah beautifully captures the truth many of us in this space are grappling with: AI is not just something we are creating, it is something that is shaping us in return. From questions of bias and fairness to the deeper moral dilemmas AI systems face, the book reminds us that intelligence alone is not enough-we must intentionally design for alignment with human values.” ―Aarti Choudhary, Global Responsible AI Lead, AMD, USA

Chirag Shahis Professor of Information and Computer Science at University of Washington in Seattle. He is the Founding Director for InfoSeeking Lab and Founding Co-Director of Center for Responsibility in AI Systems & Experiences (RAISE). His research focuses on building, auditing, and correcting intelligent information access systems.