A few books that are fairly accessible depending on your math level.
Basic Math for AI is written for people with no prior AI or advanced math knowledge. It aims to demystify the essential mathematics needed for AI, and gives a broad beginner-friendly introduction.
Mathematics for Machine Learning is a bit more academic than Hinton’s book, and it covers linear algebra, vector calculus, probability, and optimization, which are the pillars of LLM math.
Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data is phenomenal for building an intuitive understanding of probability and statistics, which are often the most intimidating subjects for beginners.
I edited my original comment to leave out partly why I posted it but there’s no point in self-censorship as the thread has devolved into tone policing and strawmanning; just further evidence of how privileged Westerners are and those who benefit from Western hegemony.
AI under capitalism is coming for all our jobs due to automation as predictably estimated by multiple learned marxists but instead of taking the scientific socialist approach of understanding why; ie capitalism not technology in itself and we should use the technology to progress socialism for the betterment of humanity, there is bad-faith reactionary Nietzschean takes and so much self-importance on why allowance should be made for their hypocritical sensibilities and that they should be considered part of the vanguard despite wilfull ignorance when I suspect their class conciousness on the world stage is woefully inadequate for those who call themselves marxists.
Well done for continuing to post despite the spiteful ignorance.
(I personally asked about the Maths because AI is coming for my job too and I want to better understand the technology, and I feel for me, this is a more serious path to do this. Marxism is a science and we should not be burying our heads in the sand. Thanks again. Also the dialectical dispatches blog are interesting reads too)
I very much agree with all that. Interestingly, we’re seeing exactly the same behavior from liberals when it comes to topics like the war in Ukraine. In both cases, people just want to ignore the basic facts of the situation in favor of a comforting narrative. Yet, it’s completely self defeating behavior because material reality can’t simply be wished away. We have to engage with the world the way it is to make sound plans and decisions about the future. I understand why people feel threatened by this tech, but pretending that it doesn’t work or that you can boycott it out of existence is not rational.
A few books that are fairly accessible depending on your math level.
Basic Math for AI is written for people with no prior AI or advanced math knowledge. It aims to demystify the essential mathematics needed for AI, and gives a broad beginner-friendly introduction.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214340546-basic-math-for-ai
Mathematics for Machine Learning is a bit more academic than Hinton’s book, and it covers linear algebra, vector calculus, probability, and optimization, which are the pillars of LLM math.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50419441-mathematics-for-machine-learning
Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data is phenomenal for building an intuitive understanding of probability and statistics, which are often the most intimidating subjects for beginners.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17986418-naked-statistics
Thank you for taking the time for that reply and reading list; very much appreciated!
no prob
I edited my original comment to leave out partly why I posted it but there’s no point in self-censorship as the thread has devolved into tone policing and strawmanning; just further evidence of how privileged Westerners are and those who benefit from Western hegemony.
AI under capitalism is coming for all our jobs due to automation as predictably estimated by multiple learned marxists but instead of taking the scientific socialist approach of understanding why; ie capitalism not technology in itself and we should use the technology to progress socialism for the betterment of humanity, there is bad-faith reactionary Nietzschean takes and so much self-importance on why allowance should be made for their hypocritical sensibilities and that they should be considered part of the vanguard despite wilfull ignorance when I suspect their class conciousness on the world stage is woefully inadequate for those who call themselves marxists.
Well done for continuing to post despite the spiteful ignorance.
(I personally asked about the Maths because AI is coming for my job too and I want to better understand the technology, and I feel for me, this is a more serious path to do this. Marxism is a science and we should not be burying our heads in the sand. Thanks again. Also the dialectical dispatches blog are interesting reads too)
I very much agree with all that. Interestingly, we’re seeing exactly the same behavior from liberals when it comes to topics like the war in Ukraine. In both cases, people just want to ignore the basic facts of the situation in favor of a comforting narrative. Yet, it’s completely self defeating behavior because material reality can’t simply be wished away. We have to engage with the world the way it is to make sound plans and decisions about the future. I understand why people feel threatened by this tech, but pretending that it doesn’t work or that you can boycott it out of existence is not rational.