preface

The skeleton of this book began to come together in the late 2010s when we saw several significant advancements in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) that we knew could soon lead to a breakthrough. The convergence of new types of computer hardware, the availability of vast amounts of data, and the growth of neural networks were rapidly converging to a tipping point where it was now possible for machine learning algorithms to accurately capture nuances of language and meaning at a surprising level of fidelity. With the right combination of breakthroughs, we knew this would enable an entirely new class of applications. We conducted research, built prototypes, had conversations with our colleagues, clients, and families, and sought to tell the story of how these advancements could change the world and the underlying techniques that made that possible.