I believe the greatest risk in artificial intelligence isn't the technology—it's us. AI systems are mirrors, reflecting and amplifying the same cognitive shortcuts, hidden biases, and mental models that have guided our decisions for millennia. We are at a critical juncture where understanding this reflection is no longer an academic exercise, but an urgent necessity for safe and effective progress.
I've seen this challenge from a unique vantage point. As an AI Safety and Governance expert and a former OCAIO Fellow for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), I was tasked with shaping federal AI policy under Executive Order 14110. This experience, combined with my 25-year journey from civil engineering to machine learning, gave me a practitioner's perspective on how abstract risks become real-world consequences.
The AI Greatness Torch is the culmination of this journey. In it, I argue that the key to AI safety lies not in controlling the machine, but in understanding ourselves. The book introduces a groundbreaking framework that grounds AI risk in our own biology and psychology, exploring the "risk-reward function" that drives our choices.
I first map our "human operating system"—our heuristic shortcuts and innate biases—and then provide a practical, step-by-step methodology: the "Playbook for AI Safety". My goal is to empower every user, from students to C-suite executives, to mitigate risks and transform AI into a true partner for human flourishing. This book is my attempt to democratize AI literacy, providing the essential tools to navigate our complex future with clarity and confidence.
The conversation about responsible AI is one of the most critical of our time. If you are a leader, innovator, or policymaker looking to navigate this new landscape, I welcome a deeper discussion.