Hannah Fry shortlist author interview
8 November 2018
How to be Human in the Age of the Machine
Hannah Fry
You are accused of a crime. Who would you rather determined your fate – a human or an algorithm? An algorithm is more consistent and less prone to error of judgement. Yet a human can look you in the eye before passing sentence.
This is the age of the algorithm, the story of a not-too-distant future where machines rule supreme, making important decisions – in healthcare, transport, finance, security, what people watch, where they go - even who is sent to prison. How much should they be relied upon?
Hannah Fry looks at the good, the bad and the downright ugly of the algorithms that surround us. In Hello World she lifts the lid on their inner workings, demonstrates their power, exposes their limitations, and examines whether they really are an improvement on the humans they are replacing.
Hannah Fry is an Associate Professor in the mathematics of cities from University College London. In her day job she uses mathematical models to study patterns in human behaviour, and has worked with governments, police forces, health analysts and supermarkets. Her TED talks have amassed millions of views and she has fronted television documentaries for the BBC and PBS; she also hosts the long-running science podcast, The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry, with the BBC.
Longlist
Helen Scales
Shortlist
Rachel Clarke
Winner
John Vaillant
Longlist
Chris van Tulleken