After the Internet : Alien Intelligence (Hardcover)

by James Martin (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
James Martin takes the reader on a fascinating tour of the new frontiers of computer technology and its self-replicating artificial intelligence that will change the way we live and challenge our ability to comprehend our own computers.

From the Inside Flap
Get ready for the next computer revolution… ALIEN INTELLIGENCE

The Internet has transformed our world, but as world-renowned business and technology guru James Martin shows in his groundbreaking book, this is only the beginning of the radical changes computers will bring to our lives.

Dr. Martin takes the reader on a fascinating tour of the new frontiers of computer technology. Instead of merely following human logic, computers are developing an alien intelligence that is radically different from human intelligence and incomparably more powerful in its focused areas. As alien intelligence feeds on itself and grows like a chain reaction, linked across the planet on a ubiquitous Internet, it will change virtually every aspect of our lives: business, investing, science, health care, entertainment, and more.

The challenge to business leaders is to harness the new capabilities—and to do so quickly, before the competition does. Those who put computer intelligence to work will dominate the global economy of the future.

The true revolution will come when computers are used to think as humans cannot, since most computing today is used merely to emulate human thought processes. But, as Dr. Martin reveals, that revolution requires surrendering control to the machines, letting them race into unknown territory.

We are entering a brave new world in which alien intelligence can redesign and reinvent itself at electronic speed and without the control of human engineers. Indeed, alien intelligence will become so complex that humans will not even be able to understand the computers’ processes. Ultimately the question becomes: Will we control the machines, or will they control us?

Dr. James Martin, an internationally known business consultant, lecturer, and author, is the founder of several companies, including WatchIT.com, a video education company. He is the chairman emeritus of Headstrong, the leading-edge business-redesign firm. Martin, a Pulitzer Prize nominee, has written one hundred textbooks—more than any other living person.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 479 pages
• Publisher: Capital Press; 1 edition (November 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895262800
• ISBN-13: 978-0895262806
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,807,042 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great credentials but no material, May 21, 2001

By	Doug Walton (Campbell, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Dr. Martin's credentials are certainly impressive, as were his some of his previous works, which I read. This book is at least an easy read, and Dr. Martin makes an excellent point that computer intelligence is different than human intelligence and should not be expected to emulate it.

Unfortunately, there is little else of substantive value after that. The book is pretty much a long, incredibly repetitious, and rambling journey. There are some mildly provacative high-tech examples, but it is mostly a rehash of what has been in the popular press and assertions about the differences between human and machine intelligence that are largely unsupported.

As a further distraction, the examples are mixed with tired and rehashed chronicles from the history of computing--ie., Gate's Microsoft story, Apple, and the decline of betamax. There are some interesting anecdotes that shed light on Bill Gate's personality, but unless one is a complete neophyte to high technology reading, I wouldn't recommend this.

For those looking for easy-to-read yet substantially more provactive and focused material, there is Daguid & Brown's "The Social Life of Information" or Dertouzos' "The Unfinished Revolution." These men have similarly impressive credentials and stick to the point.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating but appallingly sloppy, January 31, 2002

By	Kevin W. Parker (Greenbelt, MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Summary of the early parts: computers are going to be intelligent, but they will be intelligent in their own way, not like us. Now you can skip to chapter three.

That's kind of what this whole book is like: fascinating comments and revelations not necessarily addressed in an organized or clear way, as if the author wrote the book in a great hurry.

The gist is fascinating: computers are changing our world in extraordinary ways, and what they can do and how they do it will shape our future. The middle part of the book discusses the potential impacts, though as a computer geek I found the final part the most interesting, in which he discusses the nature of computer intelligence. This includes techniques such as genetic algorithms, neural networks (which work even though the programmer can't tell you how), complex adaptive systems, etc.

On the other hand, there are some appallingly sloppy moments that damaged my confidence in the book: cybernetics genius Norbert Wiener's name is consistently misspelled (remember, "i before e except after c"), there are several references to a mythical "penal" gland (I think he means pineal), and Martin relates the notion that draining water spirals in opposite directions in the northern and southern hemispheres as if it were authoritative truth rather than an urban legend. But it's worth a quick read, and it is a quick read.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Really Mr. Martin ! ! - this will not do, August 18, 2001

By A Customer

To state that this book is a disappointment is an understatement. For an author who claims to be a technology guru this is a mish mash of whimsical fantasy. It belongs in the realms of bad science fiction. Martin never really explains what this alien intelligence really is - we are left to assume this is some form of intelligent or sophisticated software. There is really no theme to this book but a random selection of Martins thoughts and bias. He gives no supporting data, facts but relies on quotes, unlikely scenarios and just plain fiction. Interestingly, this book is an unsophisticated attempt and update of Martins earlier work - `The Wired Society" - both editions of this earlier book never mention the Internet.

One last bad example can be found on the back cover - the CEO of Headstrong Inc, Mr. Patrick Litre gives a glowing review of the book - but readers do not know that Mr. Martin is a significant shareholder in Headstrong Inc.