8 books on data and technology to give away this Christmas
Fecha de la noticia: 23-12-2020
2020 is coming to an end and in this unusual year we are going to have to experience a different, calmer Christmas with our closest nucleus. What better way to enjoy those moments of calm than to train and improve your knowledge of data and new technologies?
Whether you are looking for a reading that will make you improve your professional profile to which to dedicate your free time on these special dates, or if you want to offer your loved ones an educational and interesting gift, from datos.gob.es we want to propose some book recommendations on data and disruptive technologies that we hope will be of interest to you. We have selected books in Spanish and English, so that you can also put your knowledge of this language into practice.
Take note because you still have time to include one in your letter to Santa Claus!
INTELIGENCIA ARTIFICIAL, naturalmente. Nuria Oliver, ONTSI, red.es (2020)
What is it about?: This book is the first of the new collection published by the ONTSI called “Pensamiento para la sociedad digital”. Its pages offer a brief journey through the history of artificial intelligence, describing its impact today and addressing the challenges it presents from various points of view.
Who is it for?: It is aimed especially at decision makers, professionals from the public and private sector, university professors and students, third sector organizations, researchers and the media, but it is also a good option for readers who want to introduce themselves and get closer to the complex world of artificial intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, Stuart Russell
What is it about?: Interesting manual that introduces the reader to the field of Artificial Intelligence through an orderly structure and understandable writing.
Who is it for?: This textbook is a good option to use as documentation and reference in different courses and studies in Artificial Intelligence at different levels. For those who want to become experts in the field.
Situating Open Data: Global Trends in Local Contexts, Danny Lämmerhirt, Ana Brandusescu, Natalia Domagala – African Minds (October 2020)
What is it about?: This book provides several empirical accounts of open data practices, the local implementation of global initiatives, and the development of new open data ecosystems.
Who is it for?: It will be of great interest to researchers and advocates of open data and to those in or advising government administrations in the design and implementation of effective open data initiatives. You can download its PDF version through this link.
The Elements of Statistical Learning: Data Mining, Inference, and Prediction, Second Edition (Springer Series in Statistics), Trevor Hustle, Jerome Friedman. – Springer (May 2017)
What is it about?: This book describes various statistical concepts in a variety of fields such as medicine, biology, finance, and marketing in a common conceptual framework. While the focus is statistical, the emphasis is on definitions rather than mathematics.
Who is it for?: It is a valuable resource for statisticians and anyone interested in data mining in science or industry. You can also download its digital version here.
Europa frente a EEUU y China: Prevenir el declive en la era de la inteligencia artificial, Luis Moreno, Andrés Pedreño – Kdp (2020)
What is it about?: This interesting book addresses the reasons for the European delay with respect to the power that the US and China do have, and its consequences, but above all it proposes solutions to the problem that is exposed in the work.
Who is it for?: It is a reflection for those interested in thinking about the change that Europe would need, in the words of its author, "increasingly removed from the revolution imposed by the new technological paradigm".
What is it about?: This book calls attention to the problems that can lead to the misuse of algorithms and proposes some ideas to avoid making mistakes.
Who is it for?: These pages do not appear overly technical concepts, nor are there formulas or complex explanations, although they do deal with dense problems that need the author's attention.
Data Feminism (Strong Ideas), Catherine D’Ignazio, Lauren F. Klein. MIT Press (2020)
What is it about?: These pages address a new way of thinking about data science and its ethics based on the ideas of feminist thought.
Who is it for?: To all those who are interested in reflecting on the biases built into the algorithms of the digital tools that we use in all areas of life.
Open Cities | Open Data: Collaborative Cities in the Information, Scott Hawken, Hoon Han, Chris Pettit – Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore (2020)
What is it about?: This book explains the importance of opening data in cities through a variety of critical perspectives, and presents strategies, tools, and use cases that facilitate both data openness and reuse..
Who is it for?: Perfect for those integrated in the data value chain in cities and those who have to develop open data strategies within the framework of a smart city, but also for citizens concerned about privacy and who want to know what happens - and what can happen- with the data generated by cities.
Although we would love to include them all on this list, there are many interesting books on data and technology that fill the shelves of hundreds of bookstores and online stores. If you have any extra recommendations that you want to make us, do not hesitate to leave us your favorite title in comments. The members of the datos.gob.es team will be delighted to read your recommendations this Christmas.
