Best Books on AI and How They Add Value to Your Career

Artificial Intelligence (AI) was a mere fantasy not too long ago. The best books on AI were science fiction novels. Today, AI has changed how we interact, conduct research, and do business. As per Glassdoor, in the US, the national average salary for someone working in artificial intelligence is $1,08,177. Top AI recruiters are tech giants like Amazon, Google, Apple, and Intel. It is clear that people familiar with AI technology are in high demand, and the number of jobs in the field of AI will continue to rise. 

Best Books on AI

If you are interested in entering the domain of artificial intelligence to create AI solutions for top businesses, it is vital to expand your knowledge of the field. Here are the top five books on AI that aspiring developers should read: 

Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach – Stuart Russell, Peter Norvig 

Best suited for: Undergraduate students and beginners to the field of AI

GoodReads Rating: 4.19

It is considered one of the most popular AI textbooks in the world. The book provides a clear and concise understanding of AI and Machine Learning (ML). It also details their ability to dispel the myths surrounding the technology. It is the perfect introduction to the subject for someone wanting to build a career in AI. 

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence – Max Tegmark

Best suited for: Those interested in the impact of AI on society

GoodReads Rating: 4.12

Some of the best science fiction books on AI feature a world where AI has affected every aspect of society. Today, we are already starting to see AI’s impact on our communities. In Life 3.0, Max Tegmark, an MIT professor, explores AI’s impact on crime, war, jobs, justice, society, and even our individuality. It’s an excellent book for those who want to explore the full range of the impact that AI can have. In addition, it is a must-read for anyone who wants to enter the field of AI.

Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning – Christopher M. Bishop 

Best suited for: Data scientists and machine learning enthusiasts

GoodReads Rating: 4.31

Pattern recognition and machine learning are hugely beneficial subjects if you want to enter the field of AI. Christopher M. Bishop’s book is one of the best books to learn machine learning and is the recommended introduction for advanced undergraduate students or first-year Ph.D. students in the field. Prior knowledge of multivariate analysis and linear algebra is necessary to understand this book’s contents.

The Hundred-Page Machine Learning Book – Andriy Burkov

Best suited for: Aspiring machine learning engineers

GoodReads Rating: 4.29

The Hundred-Page Machine Learning Book is one of the Best Books on AI and ML. It can be read in under a week and provides a clear yet concise understanding of what modern machine learning offers. The book also comes with a companion Wiki page which continuously expands chapters with additional information. Aurélien Géron, Senior AI Engineer and bestselling AI author, claimed, “The book can be very useful for newcomers in the field, as well as for old-timers who can gain from such a broad view of the field.”

Hands-On Machine Learning with Scikit-Learn and TensorFlow – Aurélien Géron

Best suited for: Aspiring data scientists and machine learning engineers

GoodReads Rating: 4.57

Géron’s book is one of the best books for machine learning. It offers practical know-how on building intelligent machine learning systems. However, readers are expected to have prior programming experience. It teaches you to use Scikit-Learn and TensorFlow, which are two production-ready Python frameworks focused on ML. It is great if you are ready to code your machine learning projects, and it provides you with the necessary tools and guidance. 

With the boom in artificial intelligence and machine learning, there has never been a better time to pick up a top AI book and start learning about the technology. However, if you are serious about building a career in the space, you may need to couple your reading of the best books on AI with an insightful course that guides your learning journey. Check out the top AI and ML courses on Emeritus to boost the pace at which you learn!

By Tanish Pradhan

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