• "Parallel Distributed Processing", David Rumelhart
• "Analog VLSI and Neural Systems", Carver Mead

These are the two books that nudged me into #NN #AI, way back in the 1980s. These books provide the historical context of, and the foundational knowledge in, connectionist paradigm and neuromorphic computing. Those are sufficient enticements for a #CS with an EE bent, as well as an #EE with a CS leaning, to devour them, or at least skim them with relish.

Through the years, I have recommended these books to my younger #IT colleagues who professed an interest in #AI—and that includes everyone, nowadays. No takers, so far.

Years ago, the kids argued that these books were already too old and, hence, had no relevance to their modern pursuits. Wrong, they were.

The kids today make what they believe to be a stronger argument: they have no need for something so old fashioned as reading.