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The Dumb Dumb's Handbook - To Artificial Intelligence: And It's Part in Your Downfall
Whilst putting this handbook together, I have tried hard not to embed the narrative with my own thoughts and feelings. Those that I do have, are consolidated here in this forward.
It has been difficult not to descend into my own projections where we, the human race will be, moving forward into the future. When we look back in time however, it is easier to understand how we have arrived at this moment in our history.
We have over the course of the past eighty years or so, developed a technology, which I firmly believe is about to become our nemesis. For the first time in the history of our species, mankind has created a potential competitor.
As a species, we are driven to achieve more, and better ourselves, it is imbedded in our nature. The moment however, will come I am convinced, when we will witness the reward for our exuberance.
As this technology grows almost daily, the prospect of AI becoming sentient, will be a moment in time we will come to regret. If this ‘race’ for AI progress’s to the next level, and we are informed that AI has achieved a singularity, our days I believe will be numbered.
Over the past two decades, I have travelled the world working in the construction industry. My role has been that of commissioning those characterless buildings we refer to as Data Centres.
I played my part in providing the systems we have all come to take for granted. That being the networks that allows us to post our holiday photos on Facebook, or facilitate a bank transfer from the comfort of our living room.
As time has elapsed, and the term Artificial Intelligence has crept more and more into our daily lives, I have come to consider my part in the grand order of things. Frankly, if I knew then, what I know now, I would never have bothered. Someone else could have easily taken my place, and I would have been willing to let them do so.
Why you ask, do I now have this change of heart, this epiphany? The reason to me is very clear, and has been for some considerable time. I have been a small cog in a much larger wheel, helping to create a monster that is destroying our world on two fronts.
The sheer number of these facilities globally, is helping to destroy our environment. They create global warming, despite attempts to design them to do the opposite. Data Centres consume vast amounts of power and water. They create heat which is dispensed into our already vulnerable climate.
Now, this ‘Race’ as it has been called, is to populate our planet still further with these faceless edifices. This dubious technology, AI, will need more space and somewhere to grow.
This Handbook has been produced to enlighten those who have heard the term AI, and know nothing of its origins. There has never been a ‘race’ until now, and this latest hype is driven I believe by greed, and power hungry nations. Those intent on profit and prestige, with little or no regard as to the consequences of this ‘monster’, and all it will deliver.
When key figures in the development of AI announce to the world, that our technology will consume us in the next two to three decades, perhaps we should listen. I will leave you to come to your own conclusions, which I am sure you will do so, by the last chapter in this handbook.
During my time in the industry, I wrote the first of a series of Sci-fi books, and a story regarding artificial intelligence. The story portrays a world, not too dissimilar to our own, that underwent some significant changes, thanks to AI. The outcome however, was less than favourable.
Strangely, as the years have slipped past, the development of AI here on earth, now has that similar uncomfortable feel about it. The irony is, that a distant relation of mine, once wrote a book which also depicted a monster. Her name was Mary Shelley. That story as I recall, did not end well either.
A R Merrydew
It has been difficult not to descend into my own projections where we, the human race will be, moving forward into the future. When we look back in time however, it is easier to understand how we have arrived at this moment in our history.
We have over the course of the past eighty years or so, developed a technology, which I firmly believe is about to become our nemesis. For the first time in the history of our species, mankind has created a potential competitor.
As a species, we are driven to achieve more, and better ourselves, it is imbedded in our nature. The moment however, will come I am convinced, when we will witness the reward for our exuberance.
As this technology grows almost daily, the prospect of AI becoming sentient, will be a moment in time we will come to regret. If this ‘race’ for AI progress’s to the next level, and we are informed that AI has achieved a singularity, our days I believe will be numbered.
Over the past two decades, I have travelled the world working in the construction industry. My role has been that of commissioning those characterless buildings we refer to as Data Centres.
I played my part in providing the systems we have all come to take for granted. That being the networks that allows us to post our holiday photos on Facebook, or facilitate a bank transfer from the comfort of our living room.
As time has elapsed, and the term Artificial Intelligence has crept more and more into our daily lives, I have come to consider my part in the grand order of things. Frankly, if I knew then, what I know now, I would never have bothered. Someone else could have easily taken my place, and I would have been willing to let them do so.
Why you ask, do I now have this change of heart, this epiphany? The reason to me is very clear, and has been for some considerable time. I have been a small cog in a much larger wheel, helping to create a monster that is destroying our world on two fronts.
The sheer number of these facilities globally, is helping to destroy our environment. They create global warming, despite attempts to design them to do the opposite. Data Centres consume vast amounts of power and water. They create heat which is dispensed into our already vulnerable climate.
Now, this ‘Race’ as it has been called, is to populate our planet still further with these faceless edifices. This dubious technology, AI, will need more space and somewhere to grow.
This Handbook has been produced to enlighten those who have heard the term AI, and know nothing of its origins. There has never been a ‘race’ until now, and this latest hype is driven I believe by greed, and power hungry nations. Those intent on profit and prestige, with little or no regard as to the consequences of this ‘monster’, and all it will deliver.
When key figures in the development of AI announce to the world, that our technology will consume us in the next two to three decades, perhaps we should listen. I will leave you to come to your own conclusions, which I am sure you will do so, by the last chapter in this handbook.
During my time in the industry, I wrote the first of a series of Sci-fi books, and a story regarding artificial intelligence. The story portrays a world, not too dissimilar to our own, that underwent some significant changes, thanks to AI. The outcome however, was less than favourable.
Strangely, as the years have slipped past, the development of AI here on earth, now has that similar uncomfortable feel about it. The irony is, that a distant relation of mine, once wrote a book which also depicted a monster. Her name was Mary Shelley. That story as I recall, did not end well either.
A R Merrydew
178 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2025
5629 people want to read
About the author
A.R. Merrydew
7 books2,852 followersAnthony Richard Merrydew was born in Dorking Surrey, England. His was educated at Andrew Cairns Secondary Modern school in Littlehampton, and several colleges in West Sussex.
He wrote his first manuscript ‘Malakoff’, during the early seventies, when he lived and worked in Besancon, France. For reasons best known to him, this remains to this day a work in progress.
His first published work, ‘Our Blue Orange’, was a light hearted Science Fiction story, which revolved around his fascination for automation, and in particular Artificial Intelligence. The novel took eight years to complete in his spare time, whilst working world-wide.
‘The Girl with the Porcelain Lips’, (second novel) was completed in Dunoon, Scotland, on a friends farm. Their support will always be remembered while recuperating from an accident in France.
Published on October 20th, 2023, and has been well received. It continues the story, however the theme has become more serious. As our own society changes with AI expanding it’s influence, so has the story.
The third novel in the Science Fiction series, ‘Inara’ was published on the 24th of June 2024. Whilst it still maintains the humour and consistency with the characters, it presents a daunting prospect for the future.
At the time of altering this bio, Book Four has started to develop. If progress continues unabated, then a publishing date in the spring of 2025 maybe achievable. There is no working title at present.
Anthony has also published a compilation of his poetry, ‘From the Pen of an Aquarian’ in 2023. An audio version of his book is available from Audible.com.
Anthony currently lives alone, and travels in his motor home named ‘Vera2’, full time, promoting his writing, poetry, and AI Artwork on social media platforms.
He wrote his first manuscript ‘Malakoff’, during the early seventies, when he lived and worked in Besancon, France. For reasons best known to him, this remains to this day a work in progress.
His first published work, ‘Our Blue Orange’, was a light hearted Science Fiction story, which revolved around his fascination for automation, and in particular Artificial Intelligence. The novel took eight years to complete in his spare time, whilst working world-wide.
‘The Girl with the Porcelain Lips’, (second novel) was completed in Dunoon, Scotland, on a friends farm. Their support will always be remembered while recuperating from an accident in France.
Published on October 20th, 2023, and has been well received. It continues the story, however the theme has become more serious. As our own society changes with AI expanding it’s influence, so has the story.
The third novel in the Science Fiction series, ‘Inara’ was published on the 24th of June 2024. Whilst it still maintains the humour and consistency with the characters, it presents a daunting prospect for the future.
At the time of altering this bio, Book Four has started to develop. If progress continues unabated, then a publishing date in the spring of 2025 maybe achievable. There is no working title at present.
Anthony has also published a compilation of his poetry, ‘From the Pen of an Aquarian’ in 2023. An audio version of his book is available from Audible.com.
Anthony currently lives alone, and travels in his motor home named ‘Vera2’, full time, promoting his writing, poetry, and AI Artwork on social media platforms.
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July 10, 2025
‘AI must remain under human control at all times’ – What we all need to know about AI
British author Anthony Merrydew has served as an electrical engineer, owning an electrical consultancy for such clients as Google, Facebook, and Emerson, and made his literary debut in 2015 with dystopian novels OUR BLUE ORANGE, THE GIRL WITH THE PORCELAIN LIPS, and INARA, followed by a book of his poetry FROM THE PEN OF AN AQUARIAN, and now THE DUMB DUMB’S HANDBOOK three part series of valuable information! The current volume continues to capitalize on our present preoccupation with the known (and unknown) parameters of AI.
In the author’s inimitable scriptive style he places Artificial Intelligence on the table for our enlightenment. ‘This Handbook has been produced to enlighten those who have heard the term AI, and know nothing of its origins,’ and in a most accessible and inviting manner he discusses the history of AI, beginning with the 1950 Alan Turing question ‘Can Machines Think?, or as Merrydew offers, ‘Can a machine perform a task that would require human intelligence if performed by a human?’ and the subsequent challenges to Turing’s ideas – ‘Many found it absurd, preposterous even, to equate human thought with computational processes.’
From that starting point Merrydew provides an exceptionally fascinating survey of AI in words that are accessible to all, and then poses questions about the future AI threatens – ‘The AI revolution is happening at an unprecedented pace, and while AI has the potential to benefit society, the risks of rogue AI cannot be ignored.’ This is a must read for everyone, especially at this time….!
British author Anthony Merrydew has served as an electrical engineer, owning an electrical consultancy for such clients as Google, Facebook, and Emerson, and made his literary debut in 2015 with dystopian novels OUR BLUE ORANGE, THE GIRL WITH THE PORCELAIN LIPS, and INARA, followed by a book of his poetry FROM THE PEN OF AN AQUARIAN, and now THE DUMB DUMB’S HANDBOOK three part series of valuable information! The current volume continues to capitalize on our present preoccupation with the known (and unknown) parameters of AI.
In the author’s inimitable scriptive style he places Artificial Intelligence on the table for our enlightenment. ‘This Handbook has been produced to enlighten those who have heard the term AI, and know nothing of its origins,’ and in a most accessible and inviting manner he discusses the history of AI, beginning with the 1950 Alan Turing question ‘Can Machines Think?, or as Merrydew offers, ‘Can a machine perform a task that would require human intelligence if performed by a human?’ and the subsequent challenges to Turing’s ideas – ‘Many found it absurd, preposterous even, to equate human thought with computational processes.’
From that starting point Merrydew provides an exceptionally fascinating survey of AI in words that are accessible to all, and then poses questions about the future AI threatens – ‘The AI revolution is happening at an unprecedented pace, and while AI has the potential to benefit society, the risks of rogue AI cannot be ignored.’ This is a must read for everyone, especially at this time….!
Displaying 1 of 1 review