These days, high-level tasks are increasingly being handled by algorithms that can do precise work not only with speed but also with nuance. These "bots" started with human programming and logic, but now their reach extends beyond what their creators ever expected.
Christopher Steiner tells the story of how algorithms took over--and shows why the "bot revolution" is about to spill into every aspect of our lives, often silently, without our knowledge. We meet bots that are driving cars, penning haiku, and writing music mistaken for Bach's. There are algorithms that can pick out the most cohesive crew of astronauts for a space mission or identify the next Jeremy Lin. What will the world look like when algorithms control our hospitals, our roads, our culture, and our national security?
