An internationally recognized leader at the intersection of design and technology, John Maeda is Vice President of Engineering, Head of Computational Design for Microsoft AI Platform. He was the 16th President of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Named by Esquire as one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century, he has appeared as a speaker all over the world, from Davos to Beijing to São Paulo to New York, and his TED Talks have received millions of views. He is the author of Design by Numbers, The Laws of Simplicity, and Redesigning Leadership, all published by the MIT Press.

“We are surrounded by computers, but how many of us understand how computers actually think? Maeda’s clear explanation of computational thinking empowers anyone to thoughtfully collaborate with machines in shaping our future—even if you don’t know how to code. A vital primer for anyone entering the AI age.”—Kelin Carolyn Zhang, Adjunct Professor, Rhode Island School of Design; Cocreator, Poetry Camera“John Maeda has a unique talent for making complicated technical topics accessible, friendly, and relatable for a wide audience, as he exemplifies in this book.”—Kate Hollenbach, Education Director, Gray Area Foundation for the Arts“Today’s machines might write code for you, but they won’t think for you. Maeda’s brilliant book unpacks why understanding computation is essential for creativity, agency, and making sense of a world full of humans.”—Daniel Shiffman, Associate Arts Professor, ITP, Tisch School of the Arts; Creator, The Coding Train

• PrefaceIntroductionChapter 1: Machines Run LoopsChapter 2: Machines Get LargeChapter 3: Machines Are LivingChapter 4: Machines Are IncompleteChapter 5: Machines Can Be InstrumentedChapter 6: Machines Automate Imbalance

An internationally recognized leader at the intersection of design and technology, John Maeda is Vice President of Engineering, Head of Computational Design for Microsoft AI Platform. He was the 16th President of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Named by Esquire as one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century, he has appeared as a speaker all over the world, from Davos to Beijing to São Paulo to New York, and his TED Talks have received millions of views. He is the author of Design by Numbers, The Laws of Simplicity, and Redesigning Leadership, all published by the MIT Press.

“We are surrounded by computers, but how many of us understand how computers actually think? Maeda’s clear explanation of computational thinking empowers anyone to thoughtfully collaborate with machines in shaping our future—even if you don’t know how to code. A vital primer for anyone entering the AI age.”—Kelin Carolyn Zhang, Adjunct Professor, Rhode Island School of Design; Cocreator, Poetry Camera“John Maeda has a unique talent for making complicated technical topics accessible, friendly, and relatable for a wide audience, as he exemplifies in this book.”—Kate Hollenbach, Education Director, Gray Area Foundation for the Arts“Today’s machines might write code for you, but they won’t think for you. Maeda’s brilliant book unpacks why understanding computation is essential for creativity, agency, and making sense of a world full of humans.”—Daniel Shiffman, Associate Arts Professor, ITP, Tisch School of the Arts; Creator, The Coding Train

• PrefaceIntroductionChapter 1: Machines Run LoopsChapter 2: Machines Get LargeChapter 3: Machines Are LivingChapter 4: Machines Are IncompleteChapter 5: Machines Can Be InstrumentedChapter 6: Machines Automate Imbalance

An internationally recognized leader at the intersection of design and technology, John Maeda is Vice President of Engineering, Head of Computational Design for Microsoft AI Platform. He was the 16th President of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Named by Esquire as one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century, he has appeared as a speaker all over the world, from Davos to Beijing to São Paulo to New York, and his TED Talks have received millions of views. He is the author of Design by Numbers, The Laws of Simplicity, and Redesigning Leadership, all published by the MIT Press.

“We are surrounded by computers, but how many of us understand how computers actually think? Maeda’s clear explanation of computational thinking empowers anyone to thoughtfully collaborate with machines in shaping our future—even if you don’t know how to code. A vital primer for anyone entering the AI age.”—Kelin Carolyn Zhang, Adjunct Professor, Rhode Island School of Design; Cocreator, Poetry Camera“John Maeda has a unique talent for making complicated technical topics accessible, friendly, and relatable for a wide audience, as he exemplifies in this book.”—Kate Hollenbach, Education Director, Gray Area Foundation for the Arts“Today’s machines might write code for you, but they won’t think for you. Maeda’s brilliant book unpacks why understanding computation is essential for creativity, agency, and making sense of a world full of humans.”—Daniel Shiffman, Associate Arts Professor, ITP, Tisch School of the Arts; Creator, The Coding Train

• PrefaceIntroductionChapter 1: Machines Run LoopsChapter 2: Machines Get LargeChapter 3: Machines Are LivingChapter 4: Machines Are IncompleteChapter 5: Machines Can Be InstrumentedChapter 6: Machines Automate Imbalance