Human interaction, machine learning, and data mining intersect in the systems that make virtual assistants work, according to a report that maps their reach and impact, “Anatomy of an AI System.” The report maps the technology, from mining of raw materials, to physical assembly, to the algorithms, to the consumer’s home, and questions the ways social and environmental costs hide in the system. Author Kate Crawford, co-founder of MacArthur-supported AI Now Institute, illustrates the report with historical and philosophical context and challenges readers to consider the unseen impact of these complex systems.
