A bold exploration of the human brain's potential by the internationally bestselling author of The Singularity is Near How does the brain recognise images? Could computers drive? How is it possible for man-made programmes to beat the world's best chess players? In this fascinating look into the human mind, Ray Kurzweil relates the advanced brain processes we take for granted in our everyday lives, our sense of self and intellect - and explains how artificial intelligence, once only the province of science fiction, is rapidly catching up. Effortlessly unravelling the complexity of his subject, unfolding such key areas as love, learning and logic, he shows how the building blocks for our future machines exist underneath. Kurzweil examines the radical possibilities of a world in which humans and intelligent machines could live side by side. 'Ray Kurzweil is the best person I know at predicting the future of artificial intelligence' Bill Gates 'Kurzweil knows a lot about new technology - and he knows how to make it sound fun. He is dazzling in his enthusiasm for things to come, and has a grasp of the exciting developments pulsing through the intersection of science and technology' Financial Times 'A legendary inventor with a history of mind-blowing ideas.' Fortune.