A Thousand Brains - a new book by Jeff Hawkins

A Thousand Brains - A New Theory of Intelligence, a book released this week by Numenta co-founder Jeff Hawkins, introduces a theory that will revolutionize our understanding of the brain and AI. Every human ability, from science, engineering, and agriculture, to art and literature, is created by the cells in our heads. How simple cells create our intelligence is perhaps the most important question of all time. A Thousand Brains presents a new theory that will have long-lasting implications not only for neuroscience, but the field of artificial intelligence and the long-term survival of our species.

A Thousand Brains is divided into three parts. In Part 1, Hawkins describes the new theory and the neuroscience behind it. In Part 2, he explains how this theory will lead to truly intelligent machines. Finally, in Part 3, Hawkins describes how a deep understanding of intelligence and AI will affect the future of humanity. Core to the theory is the surprising notion that the brain does not contain one model of the world; it contains thousands of complementary models for everything we know. The models vote together to produce our singular perception. Published by Basic Books, A Thousand Brains is now available. To learn more about the book, visit the website.

Jeff Hawkins, a neuroscientist and technologist, is the co-founder of Numenta, a neuroscience research company; founder of the Redwood Neuroscience Institute; and one of the founders of the field of handheld computing. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and author of On Intelligence and A Thousand Brains, A New Theory of Intelligence.