Book excerpt: An exciting introduction to the true potential of AI from the director of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Imagine a technology capable of discovering new drugs in days instead of years, helping scientists map distant galaxies and decode the language of whales, and aiding the rest of us in mundane daily tasks, from drafting email responses to preparing dinner. Now consider that this same technology poses risks to our jobs and society as a whole. Artificial Intelligence is no longer science fiction; it is upending our world today. As advances in AI spark fear and confusion, The Mind’s Mirror reminds us that in spite of the very real and pressing challenges, AI is a force with enormous potential to improve human life. Computer scientist and AI researcher Daniela Rus, along with science writer Gregory Mone, offers an expert perspective as a leader in the field who has witnessed many technological hype cycles. Rus and Mone illustrate the ways in which AI can help us become more productive, knowledgeable, creative, insightful, and even empathetic, along with the many risks associated with misuse. The Mind’s Mirror shows readers how AI works and explores what we, as individuals and as a society, must do to mitigate dangerous outcomes and ensure a positive impact for as many people as possible. The result is an accessible and lively exploration of the underlying technology and its limitations and possibilities—a book that illuminates our possible futures in the hopes of forging the best path forward.