This volume investigates the dual-natured impact of knowledge-based computer systems, weighing their operational advantages against the significant social and institutional risks they introduce. The Council for Science and Society utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to evaluate how these advice-giving systems function within major institutions. By analyzing the intersection of technical capability and societal integration, the authors provide a framework for understanding the implications of automated decision-making. The text serves as a critical examination of the development and marketing trajectories of advanced information technologies.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the early societal anxieties surrounding expert systems. Readers frequently note the clarity of the prose, which makes complex technical and ethical considerations accessible to both professionals and concerned laypeople.