Let’s start with the obvious: artificial intelligence and algorithms are everywhere. From ChatGPT, to the artificially generated images and videos that abound on X (formerly Twitter), including sci-fi films, the cultural space is saturated. However, this flashy omnipresence distracts from the true hegemonic space of algorithms and AI: administration and the State. Knowledge then comes up against a double opacity: that of the sensationalist showcase of AI, and that of the lack of a unified and ordered field of research. This booming field is developing at an unbridled pace, at the crossroads of disciplines and often leaves observers without guidance. Faced with this observation, Maël Pégny offers a book for anyone seeking to navigate the murky waters of algorithms and artificial intelligence.
One of the great merits of this work lies in its accessibility. Its author, a teacher above all, knows how to structure his words with a rare educational sense. The historical focus it provides anchors the reader in a solid understanding of fundamental concepts. Far from getting lost in obscure technological digressions, he introduces key notions with salutary terminological precision, always linked to concrete cases (from the well-known and much feared Parcoursup to the ProPublica controversy). We learn, we understand, we question. Reading can sometimes be complex but never obscure, the clarity never fades.
