Yes, it is. It’s not about machine learning, neural networks but the more approachable AI of the 80s.

It depends on what you mean by beginner, but I would say for someone who has been futzing with a couple of js boot camps or building some php websites, it’s what takes you from hacking to software development. Completely new to programming, maybe, if someone has a background in maths or physics and has a sense of “rigor” in thinking.

But, of all the books I worked through, this is the one I remember just having tons of fun because the examples are so cool and the code so… clear. I think norvigs programming course in python (which I only skimmed) could be a great modern equivalent.