"A compelling and wonderfully readable analysis of why computers won't replace mathematicians, but why the two together are superior to either on its own. A rallying-cry for real intelligence in the age of algorithms and artificial intelligence." —Ian Stewart, author of Seventeen Equations that Changed the World
"Maths needs more demystifiers, and Junaid Mubeen is here to lift back the veil to show the inner workings of maths and mathematicians... I recommend this to anyone who thinks - or knows someone who thinks - that AI will make the study of maths redundant. AI is powerful, but human thinking is differently powerful, and Junaid Mubeen deftly shows us how." —Eugenia Cheng, author of How to Bake Pi
There's so much talk about the threat posed by intelligent machines that it sometimes seems as though we should surrender to our robot overlords now. But Junaid Mubeen isn't ready to throw in the towel just yet.
As far as he is concerned, we have the edge over machines because of a remarkable system of thought developed over the millennia. It's familiar to us all, but often badly taught and misrepresented in popular discourse - maths.
Computers are brilliant at totting up sums, pattern-seeking and performing, well, computation. For all things calculation, machines reign supreme. But Junaid identifies seven areas of intelligence where humans can retain a crucial edge. And in exploring these areas, he opens up a fascinating world where we can develop our uniquely human mathematical superpowers.