This book is definitely not one I would have picked up, although I do read some non fiction. As a woman with little understanding of this world, using IT only as required, the different views of today’s AI transitioning to AGI was both a reminder of the classic science fiction quoted and the apparent likely reality for our future as humans. I enjoyed most the essays focusing on a feminist perspective, as more relatable and convincing arguments for gender equity in this brave new world; I was not as convinced by the philosophical and religious musings on effectively replacing God with a supreme benign intellect and gently removing human free will in doing so. Overall a very challenging and thought provoking read for me and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity via the free copy from Kimberley Sheehan at The Reading Agency in return for an honest review. Fiona

Having only read Winterson's 'Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit' prior to this, I approached '12 Bytes' with a relatively clean slate in terms of Winterson's writing style, and, I must say, this was an enjoyable read for the most part. The book itself is a collection of twelve essays, split into four categories, which, broadly, deal with the past, present, and future of AI, its uses, and its capabilities. I found the initial essays a rather slow, laborious read; however, the remainder of the book was hugely enjoyable, and each essay was a nice bitesize length: long enough to deal with the central issues but short enough to not feel overwhelmed. Winterson's style is humorous, tongue-in-cheek, yet highly thought provoking, raising issues surrounding gender, consent, social hierarchies, and many more. Though the topics are dense and cerebral in nature, Winterson's accessible style ensures a wide readership is able to engage with these prescient topics. The wide range of topics covered in this book is certainly not part of my usual readerly remit; however, my guess is that this will be the same for many others who pick this book up. That being said, this is a fantastic introduction into the very real advantages--and potential threats--rapidly accelerating fields of AI present. As an ideal starting point, Winterson has brought such subject matters to the forefront of the masses' consciousness, and, should more people pick this up to read (which they really, really should) then the next generation will be better equipped with a society which will likely fail to resemble any generation which has gone before it.