Beyond the Algorithms: David Elliot’s Book Explores AI’s Human Roots

On Tuesday, November 18th, David Elliot, current Trudeau Fellow and StFX Sociology graduate from the Class of 2020, returned to campus to launch his new book, Artificially Intelligent: The Very Human Story of AI.

Artificially Intelligent reframes AI by placing people, not machines, at the centre of the conversation. In a field often dominated by technical jargon and inaccessible academic discussions, Elliot offers a clear and different narrative that welcomes readers of all backgrounds. Students and general audiences alike will find the book approachable, offering a new, human-centred perspective on how AI is being built, used, and shaped today.

During the launch, Elliot read from the opening chapter, comparing AI to a magic trick. “The first time you see a good AI system, it really does feel like magic,” he explained. “But it goes deeper than that. AI has power over us because we don’t understand what’s going on behind the curtain. Pull back the curtain, reveal what’s behind the scenes, and it’s actually quite mundane—quite understandable. Pull back the curtain and it loses its power.” Elliot argues that the workings of AI should not be gatekept, especially as the technology becomes more embedded in everyday life and for students specifically, our education.

Throughout the event, Elliot highlighted three major themes: how he defines AI, why understanding its history matters, and the importance of broad, inclusive AI policy.

Elliot defines AI “as a collection of technologies… a collection of social and technical processes that come together to create a subset of technologies that we as humans- not all, but some- have begun accepting as behaving in intelligent ways.” He traces this understanding back to the rise of deep learning, which gained major momentum in 2012 and reshaped what AI systems could do.

Turning to the history and infrastructure behind AI, Elliot explained that many of the challenges we face today are not new, they echo patterns seen throughout earlier technological revolutions. He describes AI as uniquely disruptive because it is a general-purpose technology. “AI cuts across every industry,” he noted. “Whether you’re working in a factory, or a blue-collar or white-collar job, it is everywhere.” According to Elliot, parallels can be found in the arrival of the internet and even the steam engine. This raises a crucial question: “Is AI the internet, or is it the industrial revolution? And how do we prepare for both of those scenarios?” AI, he argues, is driving a re-imagining of the basic structures of society as it becomes embedded into systems of all kinds.

When discussing AI policy, Elliot emphasized that policymaking should begin with a vision. It “should ask ourselves where we want to be, and how do we get closer to that,” he said. “Because right now, as AI rewrites the rules of our society, we are rewriting policy.” However, he acknowledged a major limitation: “The difficulty with this is the people we are inviting into this conversation tend to be people like me—technologists.” This narrow group leaves out teachers, students, families, workers, and everyday citizens who are also affected by AI but are rarely included in the decision-making process.

Elliot closed the launch by calling for broader participation in shaping the future of AI. He advocated for “opening up real avenues for everyday people to join the AI conversation, at community levels from the ground up.” He believes people genuinely want to be involved, from youth to business leaders, and that their voices are essential in guiding how AI will influence future generations.