Tech Journalists
Blood in the Machine
Brian Merchant · 2023 · Little, Brown
Connects the 19th-century Luddite movement to today's automation and gig-economy labor fights.
Cover image: Open Library.
Summary
“The true story of the first machines that came for human jobs-and how the Luddite uprising explains the power, threat, and toll of big tech and AI today.”
This book explores the historical Luddite movement, which involved workers organizing to destroy automated machines in nineteenth-century England to protest their impact on livelihoods. The author connects this historical class struggle to contemporary issues surrounding technology, the increasing prevalence of robots, and artificial intelligence in the economy. The book examines how automation has altered society and how it might influence the future. It offers insights into navigating changes brought about by technology based on the Luddites' experiences.
Summary based on the publisher's page ↗
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About the author
Brian Merchant
Brian Merchant is a technology columnist for the Los Angeles Times and the co-founder of Terraform, Vice's science fiction outlet. He also founded Gizmodo's Automaton project, which investigates artificial intelligence and the future of work.
Source: Publisher page ↗