At the Speed of Irrelevance - by Al Naqvi & Mani Janakiram (Hardcover)

About the Book

"After decades of "made in China, sold in US" as the winning mantra, American and Western businesses are being forced to rethink their China strategy. In an era defined by the great power competition, business leaders are scrambling to make sense of the sudden reversal of the pro-China policy by the US. As the rivalry between US and China intensifies, the geopolitical continental shift is sending waves of disruption -- forcing businesses to avoid getting crushed as the two giants collide. In the opening scene of this war, the weapons of tariffs, bans, and sanctions were deployed and warnings for economic devastation and evisceration were issued. What follows is the grim reality that a painful divorce is unavoidable. But, if approached correctly, the post-annulment business dynamics do not have to be perilous. This book takes the position that the new era of the great decoupling offers an opportunity to rethink business in its entirety. The great decoupling is the redesign of supply chains in accordance with the three factors of: the advent of artificial intelligence, geopolitical remapping, and the sustainability movement. Taking businesspeople through an exciting journey which connects the dots between the three factors, this book articulates a plan for successfully designing and implementing the decoupling strategy that leads to a full-scale transformation of a firm into the modern era."--

Book Synopsis

Get the inside story of American Artificial Intelligence (AI) failure and fall: Learn how to reassume American AI leadership and win against China

On the eve of the Sino-American great power competition General Mattis challenged America to move forward at the speed of relevance. To compete effectively America needed to excel in its AI capacity. The call fell on deaf ears - and years later the nation found itself sliding towards a state of irrelevance on the global stage. A series of blunders contributed to what President Biden calls American AI's "failing and falling behind."

This is the story of American AI's fall from grace. Capturing the live moments of American excitement and mastery of AI to the tragedy of ending up behind China, the authors give a behind the scenes account of what transpired. Get an inside view on who dropped the ball at a time when America needed its best leadership. As the mystery unravels, it shows the great misses and deceptions, colossal mistakes, policy failures, and negligence that cost America its leadership position.

This story could become the story of America's own decline and fall. But there is hope. In the past America has shown resilience to bounce back from the agony of defeat to win in the long run. This book gives a path to rebuild American AI and secure such a victory.

Whether you are a business leader or a policy analyst, a supply chain expert or an academic, a congressmember or an agency head At the Speed of Irrelevance: How America Blew Its AI Leadership Position and How to Regain It will change your thinking about your responsibility to your firms, agencies, and the country. This will be the most timely and patriotic book you will ever read.

From the Back Cover

PRAISE FOR AT THE SPEED OF IRRELEVANCE

"Much like the Space Race and the Cold War of a bygone era, the authors argue we have entered a new frontier of international competition in artificial intelligence -- one that will determine geopolitical primacy. The scary thing is, most Americans don't realize we're engaged in a life-or-death struggle, and, worse, we have no coherent national U.S. strategy for winning."
--THOMAS W. DERRY, CEO, Institute for Supply Management

"Some books nurture and coddle the reader. This book is not that kind of book. That, however, should not dissuade readers from digging into this book and embracing the important message it offers. In At the Speed of Irrelevance, authors Naqvi and Janakiram provide a direct and critical assessment of AI in America in a riveting if not anguish-inducing manner. The writing is compelling, and it is often difficult to put the book down, because the message is so sharp and urgent. They make the case that AI is central to the future success and livelihood of America and conclude that America is perilously lagging behind. They examine how the landscape has changed and how decisions have been made in the public and private sector which have contributed to the current dire state for AI in America. Their passion and deep knowledge drive a thoughtful and incisive assessment, and thankfully gives some hope for a favorable turnaround. It is a clarion call for action to rebuild what they argue is a national capacity."
--JAMES B. RICE, JR., Deputy Director, Center for Transportation and Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"This book is an operating manual to rebuild America with AI."
--TANICE "TK" GONSALVES, President, WTI

About the Author

AL NAQVI is a Professor and President at the American Institute of Artificial Intelligence. He teaches classes on applied artificial intelligence, deep learning, and cognitive transformation. His research is focused on applying deep learning to advanced models of financial engineering, portfolio management, and asset management.

MANI JANAKIRAM is a Manufacturing Supply Chain and Analytics executive and also an academician. His 25+ years of professional experience includes the semiconductor, automotive, and aerospace industries. Mani has two patents and has published over 100 papers. He is an accomplished speaker and serves on several committees to advance practical application of AI and Analytics. Mani holds a PhD from Arizona State University and an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.