AI = Artificial Intelligence

I’m reading Dan Brown’s book, Origin.  I’ve read and enjoyed his other books, Inferno, The Lost Symbol, The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, Deception Point, and Digital Fortress.  The story of this latest book takes place mostly in Spain (and a few other places) and includes Brown’s fictitious Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, Robert Langdon, who has held a prominent place in Brown’s previous books.  The whole story takes place in a single night!  Brown writes on one of the first pages of the book:  “FACT:  All art, architecture, locations, science, and religious organizations in this novel are real.”  This “FACT” alone makes this book both captivating and intriguing. 

I have seen some of the art and architecture referenced in the book and I have visited many of the locations named. When Brown writes about “The Szechenyi Chain Bridge—one of eight bridges in Budapest—spans more than a thousand feet across the Danube.  An emblem of the link between East and West, the bridge is considered one of the most beautiful in the world,” I find myself remembering sailing by that bridge on the Danube.  When Brown writes about the architecture of Antoni Gaudi, or the art of Gauguin, I recall having seen samples of the same with my own eyes.

Even when Brown introduces “Winston,” an almost human form of “Artificial Intelligence” I can relate.  I use AI all the time these days and so do you. [Artificial Intelligence is the ability of a digital computer to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings like the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience).  I just wish I had a “Winston” (or perhaps a “Sara” or a “Sue” with a British accent) instead of Safari, Google,  or an Alexa, Echo,  or Siri.  “Winston” is the top of the line (and non-existent at the moment) in AI and I sure could use somebody like him in this age of forgetfulness.  You see, I have come to rely on Artificial Intelligence—and have finally taken my grandchildren’s advice:  “Google it, Grandad, Google it!”  “Just ask Siri, Grandad!”  When I can’t remember a name, a date, an event, a fact, I ask Siri or I google it and have an almost immediate and accurate response.  I do not have an eidetic memory—I can’t remember everything I know I know—I need all the help I can get.  The Psalmist asked long ago, “From whence cometh my help?” and then answered his question, “My help cometh from the Lord.” Has the time come when we might say, “My help cometh from Siri, Alexa and Google?”

Dan Brown’s novel focuses on two of the fundamental questions of human existence:  Where did we come from and where are we going?  Is it Science that gives the answer?  Or is it God who provides the answer?  You’ll enjoy reading this book.

Ummm, my great granddaughter asks:
 What awaits me tomorrow?