Understanding Artificial Intelligence: A Critical Introduction for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Artificial intelligence can no longer be confined to research and development efforts in a handful of STEM disciplines. It now actively participates in and shapes how we—all of us—work, communicate, learn, and create. Understanding Artificial Intelligence offers a clear and critical guide to this transformative technology, written especially for students and scholars in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Bringing together insights from philosophy, history, media studies, and communication, award-winning educator David J. Gunkel explains what AI is, how it works, and why it matters. The book introduces key concepts—from algorithms, neural networks, and deep learning to natural language processing, large language models, and generative AI—while examining the cultural narratives and the political, social, and ethical debates that surround them. Readers are invited to explore how AI redefines creativity, authorship, responsibility, and even what it means to be human. Balancing accessible technical explanation with rigorous critical reflection, Understanding Artificial Intelligence equips readers to engage with AI technologies with confidence and discernment. It is both a map of today's rapidly evolving AI landscape and a call to participate in shaping its future—essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how artificial intelligence will transform knowledge, culture, and everyday life.