Framers
Human Advantage in an Age of Technology and Turmoil
Kenneth Cukier, Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, Francis de Véricourt
The essential tool that will enable humanity to find the best way through a forest of looming problems is defined in Framers by internationally renowned authors Kenneth Cukier, Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, and Francis de Véricourt. From pandemics to populism, AI to ISIS, wealth inequity to climate change, humanity faces unprecedented challenges that threaten our very existence.
To frame is to make a mental model that enables us to see patterns, predict how things will unfold, and make sense of new situations. Frames guide the decisions we make and the results we attain. People have long focused on traits like memory and reasoning leaving framing all but ignored. But with computers becoming better at some of those cognitive tasks, framing stands out as a critical function—and only humans can do it. This book is the first guide to mastering this innate human ability.
Framing is not just a way to improve how we make decisions in the era of algorithms—rather, it will be a matter of survival for humanity in a time of societal upheaval and machine prosperity.
Published by Dutton
Praise for Framers
A tightly written prescription for smart thinking . . . A bold call to reinject pluralism and progressive human values into a decision-making process dominated by algorithms or gut instinct.
—The Financial Times
A paean to cognitive agility and the elasticity of the imagination … Convincingly, Framers is a plea for diversity in all its forms. It argues for the importance of “frame pluralism,” in which ideas can compete vigorously yet still share space.
—The Economist
The book is stuffed full of examples of how some frames are more effective than others, and how amending a frame, or adopting a new one, can lead to scientific, economic, and emotional breakthroughs … Cukier and his co-authors don’t want to just point out how powerfully we are influenced by our perspectives and prejudices—our frames. They want to show us that these frames are tools, and that we can optimise their use. And we can change them when they become obsolete or misleading.
— Calum Chace, Forbes
Although every moment of your life is filtered through your mental models, they’re often invisible to you. This sharp book reveals how you can recognize the lenses that you’re applying and rethink them as the world changes around you. It’s an important read—a steady hand for our turbulent times.
— Adam Grant, #1 NYT bestselling author of Think Again
A fascinating look at what makes humans special in the age of algorithms—and how people can improve the way they think to stay ahead of the machine.
— Mustafa Suleyman, cofounder of DeepMind and vice president at Google
Framers provides insight into how we can all nurture more of a beginner’s mind and manifest breakthrough ideas for building a better future.
— Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO of Salesforce
A great book filled with fresh perspectives to help us out during the rise of AI so we can usher in the Age of Humanity.
—will.i.am, musician and entrepreneur
