Author: Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig
Publisher: Pearson
Publication Date: 2015
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Prerequisites: Some programming knowledge
About This Book
Is there a single book I can recommend, the One Book that any Cross Trained Mind should read? Yes, actually. If you’re going to read only one book, from front to back, on artificial intelligence, it would be the classic Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, by Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig. It’s over 1000 pages of knowledge, starting with a detailed history and working its way through most areas of AI. I know that it’s a costly tome, but if you want to get your head wrapped around AI using a single resource, this is it. The 4th edition is also out, but I can’t recommend a book that I don’t yet have.
Who is This For?
This book is for someone with some programming knowledge who is interested in artificial intelligence but doesn’t want to jump down the rabbit hole of a specific area. Yes, I said that a 1000+ page book isn’t a rabbit hole. This is not a book that you read starting on page 1. This is a book that lets you explore the various areas of artificial intelligence as they interest you, which is very important when you are new to a field.
Why Was This Written?
This book was always meant to be an introductory text, which it succeeds at greatly. It covers everything that will be taught in an Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course and far beyond. If you are self-studying, this should be a core book when starting out. Even if you’re experienced in the field, you may want to expand the base of your knowledge; if so, this is still the right book to start with.
Organization
Each overall section of the book looks into a core problem of AI, including learning, communicating, knowledge, and uncertainty. Within each of these sections is one or more chapter that looks at an aspect of the topic. Then each subsection within a chapter discusses one technique for handling the issue.
Did This Book Succeed?
This book is a tremendous accomplishment that gets better with each edition. Anyone serious about artificial intelligence needs to keep up with the latest edition, as circumstances allow. It succeeds on every level, both the macro and the micro, and should be part of any AI library.
