AI Snake Oil : What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What It Can’t, and How to Tell the Difference

Description

Title: AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What It Can’t, and How to Tell the Difference
Genre: Non-Fiction / Artificial Intelligence / Technology / Critical Thinking
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Publication Year: 2025
Language: English
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780691288499

AI Snake Oil is an essential guide for navigating the rapidly growing—and often confusing—world of artificial intelligence. At a time when AI promises everything from perfect predictions to automated decision-making, this book cuts through the hype to explain what AI systems are actually capable of, where they fall short, and why exaggerated claims are so common.

Written in clear, accessible language, the book equips readers with practical tools to evaluate AI claims critically. It explores how algorithms are built, how they fail, and how bias, uncertainty, and misuse can creep into real-world applications—from hiring and healthcare to policing and finance.