Hello World by Hannah Fry

MN Women in Tech Book Club Recap: Hello World by Hannah Fry 

This month, the MN Women in Tech Book Club gathered at The Thinking Spot for a discussion on Hello World: Being Human in the Age of Algorithms by Hannah Fry. First published in 2018, the book sparked rich conversation as we reflected on how the technological predictions Fry laid out compared to our lived experiences in 2025. 

One of the most appreciated aspects of Fry’s writing was her ability to weave engaging, often surprising stories into complex technical topics. While some of the tech may have aged, the storytelling, and the ethical questions it raised, felt more relevant than ever. 

We especially loved how Fry introduced the definition of an algorithm in plain language, highlighting how bias is often baked in at every step. Her comparisons between human decision-making and algorithmic filtering spurred a passionate discussion about trust, fairness, and the essential role of human oversight. In fact, our group unanimously agreed: Keeping humans in the loop is absolutely critical. Always. 

We explored the limits of human attention and decision-making, especially in high-stakes environments like aviation or medicine. Adaptive cruise control came up as a real-world example of "bridging" technologies, and we debated the pros and cons of autonomous systems, noting that while AI can't get intoxicated or fall asleep (hello, recent stories about airline pilots!), it still lacks intuition and empathy. 

One surprising detour in our conversation involved Google Maps… have you noticed the app occasionally rerouting your trip without asking? A few of us shared suspicions about how Google Ads might be influencing those routes. (We're still investigating that one.) 

The conversation deepened around hiring practices. With 87% of companies reportedly using AI filters in recruitment, we agreed that applicants often face unfair gatekeeping. That led us to discuss a Meta-Algorithm Framework, a step-by-step process for designing more ethical and transparent algorithms. It includes principles like collecting diverse data, incorporating explainability, embedding human review checkpoints, and ongoing bias detection loops. We’re all excited to continue exploring ways to put people, not just data, at the center of tech design. 

Our club also spent time reflecting on one of the book’s more unusual stories: pigeons trained to detect cancer. This sparked a broader discussion on how medicine is, at its core, pattern recognition. What might AI miss when it can’t read microexpressions or contextual human behavior? We even investigated the famous study where radiologists failed to spot a gorilla in a CT scan. (Check out the NPR article.) 

What’s Next? 

Our next book is Chief in Tech by Anna Radulovski, and we’ll reconvene sometime in late October (exact date TBD) to discuss it. Whether you’re a seasoned technologist or simply tech-curious, our club is an open, welcoming space to explore big questions at the intersection of humanity and technology. 

#MNWomenInTech #ThinkingSpotBooks #TechEthics #HelloWorld #BookClubRecap 

Guest Writer Valerie Lockhart is the founder of the Minnesota Women In Tech Bookclub as well as the Executive Director at Minnesota Tech Network (mtn.org)