Relevant AI Books: Updated 6/18/25

📕 AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order

Author: Kai-Fu Lee (2018)
Key Focus: US-China AI competition and its global implications.
Executive Summary:
Lee contrasts China’s rapid AI commercialization with the U.S.’s research-centric approach, warning of a coming divide. He also reflects on the human costs of automation and urges the development of compassion-focused policies.
Relevance for Business: Offers insights into the AI innovation landscape, helping SMBs understand global competition, tech talent trends, and policy implications for international expansion.


📘 The Worlds I See

Author: Fei-Fei Li (2023)
Key Focus: Memoir of discovery and humanistic AI vision.
Executive Summary:
Fei-Fei Li recounts her personal and professional journey, from immigration to co-developing ImageNet and pioneering AI in healthcare. She emphasizes the need for diverse, inclusive, and human-centered AI development.
Relevance for Business: Inspires leaders to champion responsible AI adoption, grounded in empathy, diversity, and long-term societal impact.


📗 Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans

Author: Melanie Mitchell (2019)
Key Focus: Debunking AI hype and exploring real capabilities.
Executive Summary:
Mitchell provides an accessible, critical overview of AI—explaining what it can and can’t do. She covers topics like deep learning, common sense reasoning, and AI safety, with clarity and skepticism.
Relevance for Business: Helps leaders make realistic decisions about AI tools, avoiding overpromising vendors and investing wisely based on actual capabilities.


📘 Media Capture: How Money, Digital Platforms, and Governments Control the News

Editor: Anya Schiffrin (2021)
Key Focus: The erosion of independent journalism in the digital age.
Executive Summary:
This collection details how tech monopolies, state actors, and private capital shape media narratives, restricting critical coverage and public discourse. Case studies span the globe.
Relevance for Business: Warns of the reputational risks in an AI-influenced media landscape and highlights the value of transparent communication and trusted journalism.


📕 The Coming Wave

Authors: Mustafa Suleyman & Michael Bhaskar (2023)
Key Focus: Containing exponential technologies.
Executive Summary:
Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind and Inflection AI, warns of a future dominated by powerful technologies—AI, synthetic biology, and more. He proposes “containment” strategies to prevent misuse and maintain societal balance.
Relevance for Business: Encourages proactive governance, ethical foresight, and resilience planning for navigating disruptive innovation waves.


📗 The Age of Responsibility: CSR 2.0 and the New DNA of Business

Author: Wayne Visser (2011)
Key Focus: Rethinking Corporate Social Responsibility.
Executive Summary:
Visser critiques outdated CSR models and introduces CSR 2.0—where responsibility is integrated into business DNA through scalability, responsiveness, and social connectedness.
Relevance for Business: Lays a foundation for ethical AI deployment as part of broader corporate responsibility efforts.


📘 The Optimist: The Life and Times of Sam Altman

Author: Keach Hagey (2025)
Key Focus: Biography of OpenAI’s CEO and tech influencer.
Executive Summary:
This book traces Sam Altman’s rise from startup founder to the face of generative AI. It explores his philosophy, ambitions for AGI, and controversies around safety, power, and global equity in AI.
Relevance for Business: Offers valuable perspective on the leadership and strategy behind OpenAI—helpful for SMBs evaluating partnerships, tools like ChatGPT, or anticipating industry trends.


📘 The Atlas of AI

Author: Kate Crawford (2021)
Key Focus: The hidden costs and infrastructures of AI.
Executive Summary:
Crawford unveils the environmental, labor, and political implications of AI systems, arguing that AI is not just about algorithms but a global industrial complex that extracts natural and human resources. Using a cross-disciplinary lens, she shows how AI reflects existing inequalities rather than offering neutral technological progress.
Relevance for Business: Prompts executives to evaluate the full lifecycle and ethical footprint of their AI tools, especially in supply chain, energy use, and labor practices.


📗 The Age of AI: And Our Human Future

Authors: Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, Daniel Huttenlocher, with preface by Sebastian Schouten (2021)
Key Focus: The geopolitical and philosophical implications of AI.
Executive Summary:
Blending political theory and tech insight, the authors explore how AI will reshape human decision-making, diplomacy, warfare, and democracy. The book urges a global dialogue about AI governance, ethics, and the future of knowledge.
Relevance for Business: Encourages executives to think beyond ROI, recognizing AI as a transformative force that requires responsible leadership and long-term strategy.


📘 Co‑Intelligence: Living and Working with AI

Author: Ethan Mollick (2024)
Key Focus: Practical, hands-on strategies for integrating AI into everyday work.
Executive Summary:
Mollick, a Wharton professor, offers a clear guide for using AI like ChatGPT as a collaborator—not a tool. He introduces four principles of “co‑intelligence” that encourage experimentation, human-in-the-loop processes, and mutual learning. The book is grounded in real examples and rapid prototyping strategies.
Relevance for Business: Helps executives and teams adopt AI productively with low risk, making it ideal for SMBs seeking immediate value without heavy investment.


📘 Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT, and the Race That Will Change the World

Author: Parmy Olson (2024)
Key Focus: Inside the AI arms race between OpenAI and DeepMind.
Executive Summary:
Through extensive reporting and behind-the-scenes access, Olson chronicles the competition to lead the AI revolution, profiling Sam Altman and Demis Hassabis. The book unpacks the stakes—economic, political, and ethical—of deploying increasingly powerful generative models.
Relevance for Business: Offers SMB leaders a strategic lens into the industry players shaping the tools they may soon depend on. Clarifies where innovation is headed—and who’s driving it.


📘 Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI

Author: Karen Hao (2025)
Key Focus: A critical look at OpenAI’s rise and ambitions.
Executive Summary:
Investigative journalist Karen Hao examines the internal workings, ethical struggles, and strategic decisions that shaped OpenAI’s path to dominance. She dives deep into Altman’s leadership style, the company’s corporate pivot, and controversies over safety and openness.
Relevance for Business: Provides essential context for evaluating OpenAI’s tools and mission—especially as SMBs assess long-term reliability and ethical alignment of AI vendors.


📘 AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What It Can’t, and How to Tell the Difference

Authors: Arvind Narayanan & Sayash Kapoor (2024)
Key Focus: Debunking inflated claims about AI’s capabilities.
Executive Summary:
Princeton researchers deliver a no-nonsense guide to separating hype from reality in AI. With case studies and clear typologies, they expose when AI tools work well—and when they don’t (e.g., emotion detection, hiring filters, crime prediction).
Relevance for Business: A must-read for executives making procurement decisions or assessing vendor claims. Protects organizations from poor investments and reputational risk.


📘 The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI

Author: Ray Kurzweil (2024)
Key Focus: Visionary projection of AI-human convergence.
Executive Summary:
Kurzweil revisits and updates his earlier forecast: human-level AI by 2029, leading to a merging of biological and machine intelligence. He outlines paths to digital immortality, brain-computer interfaces, and the ethics of AI-enabled evolution.
Relevance for Business: Less tactical, more visionary—but useful for strategic foresight and long-range innovation planning.


📗 The AI Con


Authors: Emily M. Bender & Alex Hanna (2025)
Key Focus: Debunking the myths and hype surrounding large language models (LLMs) and corporate AI narratives.

Executive Summary:
Bender and Hanna, both renowned critics of AI hype, challenge mainstream portrayals of artificial intelligence. They argue that terms like “intelligence” and “understanding” are misleading when applied to LLMs, which mimic language without grasping meaning. The book critiques corporate influence, ethical blind spots, and the dangers of unchecked optimism.

Relevance for Business:
Warns SMB leaders against blindly trusting AI tools marketed as intelligent solutions. Encourages due diligence, transparency, and ethical evaluation before adopting AI technologies.


📘 AI Needs You: How We Can Change AI’s Future and Save Our Own


Author: Verity Harding (2024)
Key Focus: Inclusive, human-centered AI development and governance.

Executive Summary:
Harding presents a powerful call for broad-based participation in shaping the future of AI. She blends political history with present-day case studies to argue that AI isn’t inevitable — it’s shaped by human decisions. The book emphasizes public accountability, ethics, and the urgent need for diverse voices in AI leadership.

Relevance for Business:
Encourages executives to prioritize inclusive design and governance in their AI initiatives, aligning with stakeholder values and long-term trust.


📕 God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning


Author: Meghan O’Gieblyn (2021)
Key Focus: Exploring how technology, especially AI, reshapes our understanding of self, faith, and existence.

Executive Summary:
O’Gieblyn weaves personal reflections with cultural and theological insights to examine how AI challenges traditional beliefs about consciousness, morality, and human identity. Rather than framing AI as purely technical, the book offers a deeply philosophical lens on its societal impact.

Relevance for Business:
Promotes critical reflection on AI’s broader implications. Useful for leaders crafting purpose-driven narratives around technology adoption and organizational culture.


📘 Agentic Leadership: Timeless Truths, New Intelligence


Author: Kashif Zaman (2025)
Key Focus: A modern leadership model integrating AI, purpose, and emotional intelligence.

Executive Summary:
Zaman introduces “Agentic Leadership,” a framework that merges classical leadership principles with AI-enhanced decision-making. The book explores how leaders can use AI tools not just for efficiency, but to foster empathy, purpose, and innovation in dynamic environments.

Relevance for Business:
Ideal for SMB executives seeking to lead AI-era teams with clarity and conscience. Offers tools to align AI adoption with human values and leadership development.


📗 The Unaccountability Machine: Why Big Systems Make Terrible Decisions—and How the World Lost Its Mind


Author: Dan Davies (2024)
Key Focus: Systemic dysfunction and responsibility gaps in modern institutions, including AI-driven ones.

Executive Summary:
Davies explores how complex systems — from financial institutions to tech platforms — often diffuse accountability. He connects this to AI systems, where decision-making becomes opaque and responsibility elusive. The book is both a critique and a roadmap for reforming how large organizations govern themselves.

Relevance for Business:
A must-read for executives navigating AI integration in bureaucratic settings. Emphasizes the need for transparent, accountable AI systems and ethical oversight structures.


📕 AI for Executives: A Blueprint for Success, Innovation, and Growth


Author: Doug Rose (2024)
Key Focus: Strategic AI integration across business functions.

Executive Summary:
Rose offers a clear, non-technical roadmap for executives to adopt AI in practical and measurable ways. From marketing automation to workforce optimization, the book illustrates how AI can align with core business goals. It also addresses common pitfalls and emphasizes cross-functional collaboration and governance.

Relevance for Business:
Ideal for SMB executives seeking actionable guidance. Helps leaders demystify AI, prioritize investment areas, and build cross-team AI fluency.


📘 Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals for Business Leaders


Author: Tom Taulli (2024)
Key Focus: Introduction to core AI concepts tailored for non-technical leaders.

Executive Summary:
Taulli distills complex AI topics — like machine learning, neural networks, and NLP — into digestible explanations for business leaders. He highlights real-world use cases, ethical concerns, and strategic opportunities for adopting AI without requiring technical expertise.

Relevance for Business:
A solid entry point for executives new to AI. Helps SMB leaders ask informed questions, evaluate vendors, and avoid hype-driven decisions.


📗 Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World


Authors: Marco Iansiti & Karim R. Lakhani (2020)
Key Focus: How AI transforms business models and organizational structures.

Executive Summary:
This foundational work explores how AI-powered firms operate differently from traditional ones. The authors introduce the concept of “AI factories” — digital systems that drive continuous learning and scale — and argue that legacy firms must rethink value creation, decision-making, and leadership structures to stay competitive.

Relevance for Business:
Critical reading for executives leading digital transformation. Offers a strategic framework for restructuring operations and leadership in the AI era.


📕 Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence


Authors: Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans, & Avi Goldfarb (2018)
Key Focus: Reframing AI as a cost-reducing prediction tool.

Executive Summary:
The authors argue that AI’s main contribution is lowering the cost of prediction — enabling smarter decisions across sectors. By separating prediction from judgment and action, the book helps businesses identify where AI can deliver value without replacing human insight.

Relevance for Business:
Clarifies where to deploy AI for ROI. Empowers SMBs to map AI capabilities to their unique decision-making challenges.


📘 Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI


Authors: Paul R. Daugherty & H. James Wilson (2018)
Key Focus: Human-AI collaboration and workplace transformation.

Executive Summary:
Daugherty and Wilson introduce the concept of “the missing middle” — where humans and AI collaborate to achieve more than either could alone. The book presents a framework for rethinking roles, reskilling teams, and redesigning workflows for hybrid intelligence.

Relevance for Business:
Guides SMBs through practical changes to workforce planning, training, and team structure. Helps leaders prepare for a collaborative future where AI augments — not replaces — human work.


📘 The Edge of Sentience: Risk and Precaution in Humans, Other Animals, and AI

Author: Jonathan Birch (2024)
Key Focus: A moral framework for AI and biological sentience.
Executive Summary:
Birch, a philosopher of mind, explores how we determine which entities deserve moral consideration—from animals to potentially sentient AI. He proposes a precautionary approach, urging responsible treatment even amid uncertainty.
Relevance for Business: Offers foundational insights for SMBs in health tech, robotics, or AI customer interfaces—especially those navigating ethical risk or regulatory scrutiny.


📗 The AI Advantage: How to Put the Artificial Intelligence Revolution to Work


Author: Thomas H. Davenport (2018)
Key Focus: Practical AI implementation in business operations.

Executive Summary:
Davenport advocates for a pragmatic, incremental approach to AI adoption. He emphasizes augmentation over automation, showing how companies can use AI to enhance—not replace—existing processes and personnel. Through industry case studies, he demonstrates how to generate value from structured data, pilot projects, and internal upskilling.

Relevance for Business:
Perfect for SMBs ready to move from AI curiosity to action. Highlights low-risk, high-reward entry points that align with existing business strengths.


📘 The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World


Author: Pedro Domingos (2015)
Key Focus: The science and implications behind a universal machine learning algorithm.

Executive Summary:
Domingos outlines five major machine learning paradigms and introduces the idea of a “master algorithm” — a hypothetical unifying model capable of learning anything from data. Blending technical depth with accessible storytelling, the book explores how such an algorithm could transform every sector, from healthcare to education to finance.

Relevance for Business:
Helps executives grasp the foundations of machine learning and its long-term strategic potential. Encourages tech-forward thinking about future disruption and innovation.


📕 Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence


Author: Max Tegmark (2017)
Key Focus: Speculative futures of AI development and its impact on civilization.

Executive Summary:
Tegmark explores potential trajectories of AI evolution, from narrow AI to superintelligence. He outlines various future scenarios—from beneficial cooperation to existential risk—and calls for proactive alignment between AI development and human values. The book blends technical insight with philosophical reflection.

Relevance for Business:
Challenges leaders to think long-term and globally about the ethical and societal consequences of advanced AI systems. Encourages responsible foresight in innovation planning.


📘 The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies


Authors: Erik Brynjolfsson & Andrew McAfee (2014)
Key Focus: How digital technologies—including AI—are reshaping work and productivity.

Executive Summary:
Brynjolfsson and McAfee examine the accelerating impact of digital innovation on the economy, labor markets, and societal structures. They argue that while productivity and prosperity may grow, inequality and disruption will challenge institutions. Policy, education, and adaptation are key to mitigating the downside.

Relevance for Business:
Essential reading for SMBs navigating automation and digital transformation. Helps executives prepare for labor shifts, upskilling needs, and strategic tech integration.


📗 The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity


Author: Amy Webb (2019)
Key Focus: The influence of major tech firms on global AI development.

Executive Summary:
Webb identifies “The Big Nine” (Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, IBM, Microsoft, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent) and explores how their AI agendas are shaping the future. She presents both optimistic and dystopian forecasts and calls for democratic oversight, ethical AI policies, and global collaboration.

Relevance for Business:
Highlights the risks of centralizing AI power. Equips SMB leaders to better evaluate partnerships, platform dependencies, and the ethical implications of vendor ecosystems.


📕 The Fourth Industrial Revolution


Author: Klaus Schwab (2016)
Key Focus: Technological convergence and global transformation.

Executive Summary:
Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, outlines how AI, robotics, biotech, and IoT are converging to transform industries and institutions. He warns that outdated governance and education models may fall behind unless rapid, inclusive adaptation occurs.

Relevance for Business:
Helps SMBs understand the broader context of AI within digital transformation. Encourages proactive adaptation and lifelong learning strategies to remain competitive.


📘 Superminds: The Surprising Power of People and Computers Thinking Together


Author: Thomas W. Malone (2018)
Key Focus: Collaborative intelligence between humans and AI systems.

Executive Summary:
Malone explores the potential of “superminds” — systems in which people and computers collaborate to solve problems more effectively than either could alone. He identifies five types (hierarchies, markets, communities, democracies, and ecosystems) and explains how to harness them in organizations.

Relevance for Business:
Offers SMB leaders a vision for blending human judgment with machine intelligence. Valuable for rethinking teams, collaboration tools, and decision-making processes.


📗 AI for Business: A Practical Guide for Business Leaders to Extract Value from Artificial Intelligence


Author: Doug Rose (2020)
Key Focus: Tactical steps for implementing AI to drive growth and innovation.

Executive Summary:
In this earlier work, Rose delivers practical, real-world strategies to evaluate, pilot, and scale AI initiatives. The book covers vendor selection, data readiness, workforce preparation, and aligning AI with KPIs. It complements his 2024 book with foundational tools.

Relevance for Business:
A hands-on guide for SMBs new to AI. Helps decision-makers avoid missteps and focus on use cases with measurable outcomes.


📘 Future-Proof Yourself: An AI Era Survival Guide


Author: Taehoon Kim (2025)
Key Focus: Personal and professional adaptation in the age of AI.

Executive Summary:
Kim offers a survival guide for professionals facing AI disruption. He blends career planning, skills development, and tech literacy with accessible AI explanations. The book provides tools for individuals to stay relevant, resilient, and empowered in an AI-transformed world.

Relevance for Business:
Valuable for SMB leaders focused on workforce resilience and employee development. Offers insight into personal adaptability as a competitive advantage.


📘 The AI‑Savvy Leader: Nine Ways to Take Back Control and Make AI Work for You


Author: David De Cremer (2024)
Key Focus: Strategic, people-centered AI leadership frameworks.

Executive Summary:
De Cremer outlines nine practical principles for leaders to regain control over AI initiatives and ensure they align with organizational purpose and human values. The book emphasizes human judgment, psychological safety, and culture-building, arguing that true AI advantage lies in leadership—not automation.

Relevance for Business:
Empowers SMB executives to lead AI transformation thoughtfully. A playbook for making AI serve strategy, ethics, and people—not the other way around.


📗 The Algorithmic Leader: How to Be Smart When Machines Are Smarter Than You


Author: Mike Walsh (2023)
Key Focus: Redesigning leadership in the age of algorithms.

Executive Summary:
Walsh urges leaders to reimagine their roles as orchestrators of intelligent systems rather than command-and-control managers. He explores how algorithms change decision-making, team structures, and even company culture—and shares real-world case studies of firms thriving in this new landscape.

Relevance for Business:
Helps SMBs adapt to a world where value comes from agility, experimentation, and ethical data use. Strong guidance on staying competitive amid rapid change.


📕 Rebooting AI: Building Artificial Intelligence We Can Trust


Authors: Gary Marcus & Ernest Davis (2024)
Key Focus: The limitations of current AI systems and paths to improvement.

Executive Summary:
Marcus and Davis argue that today’s AI lacks common sense and robustness, and warn against overstating its capabilities. They advocate for a new approach that combines learning with reasoning, transparency, and interdisciplinary insight. The book critiques AI hype while proposing a more trustworthy future.

Relevance for Business:
Encourages SMB leaders to be cautious buyers and strategic adopters. Offers a science-backed lens for evaluating claims and identifying stable, value-aligned AI tools.


📘 Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI


Author: Madhumita Murgia (2023)
Key Focus: The hidden human cost behind AI systems.

Executive Summary:
Through powerful storytelling, Murgia exposes how AI development relies on invisible labor—data labelers, content moderators, and vulnerable communities. She highlights how AI can entrench inequality and colonial dynamics if left unchecked, while calling for transparency, accountability, and ethical design.

Relevance for Business:
Promotes awareness of AI’s real-world supply chain. Encourages executives to demand ethical sourcing, fair labor practices, and transparency in vendor relationships.


📗 The Thinking Machine: How Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Reinvented Computing


Author: Stephen Witt (2025)
Key Focus: The rise of Nvidia and the infrastructure behind modern AI.

Executive Summary:
This tech biography charts Nvidia’s evolution from a graphics card company to a foundational force in the AI revolution. Witt explores how CEO Jensen Huang’s strategic vision and risk tolerance enabled GPU-based breakthroughs that power everything from ChatGPT to robotics.

Relevance for Business:
Gives SMB leaders insight into the hardware backbone of AI. Informs procurement, cloud decisions, and long-term infrastructure planning for AI deployment.



Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

by Max Tegmark (2017)

This book explores the vast potential of AI, from benefiting humanity to posing existential risks.
It stresses the urgent need for a proactive approach to ensure AI aligns with human values.
Tegmark urges responsible AI development, emphasizing the importance of getting involved to shape a positive future with advanced AI.

Relevance for Business:

While futuristic, the book highlights the importance of considering AI’s long-term societal impact. Businesses should start thinking about ethical AI implementation and how to align AI with their values and goals. For SMBs, it prompts critical reflection on ethical AI development, ensuring AI aligns with their values and goals and exploring proactive measures for responsible AI deployment.

Call to Action:

Begin conversations within your organization about the ethical implications of AI development. Research and understand the “Asilomar AI Principles” and consider how your business can contribute to responsible AI deployment.

 

 

The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies

by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee (2014)

Digital technologies, including AI, are accelerating rapidly, leading to vast potential for productivity gains but also significant societal disruption.
These technologies are transforming the economy and workplace, requiring a focus on human-machine collaboration and adaptable skills.
Businesses need to prepare for these changes and invest in education and infrastructure.

Relevance for Business:

This book emphasizes that AI and digital technologies will reshape the economy and workplace. SMBs need to adapt by embracing human-machine collaboration, investing in employee upskilling, and exploring how AI can enhance efficiency and productivity. It stresses the necessity of adapting business models to this new economic reality.

Call to Action:

Assess how digital technologies are impacting your industry and identify areas where AI can enhance efficiency or create new opportunities. Invest in training your workforce to collaborate with AI and build adaptable skills and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

 

 

The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity

by Amy Webb (2019)

This book critiques the immense power of major tech corporations in shaping AI’s future.
It raises concerns about potential biases and lack of oversight in AI development.
Webb argues for a more human-centered approach to AI and calls for regulatory frameworks to ensure AI’s development benefits humanity.

Relevance for Business:

SMBs should be aware of the ethical implications of using AI developed by major tech companies and the potential for embedded biases. It’s crucial to consider the broader societal impact of AI and choose AI solutions responsibly.

Call to Action:

Evaluate the ethical implications of AI tools and platforms before integrating them into your business. Research the developers and their AI principles, and be mindful of data privacy and bias. Engage in broader discussions about the ethical implications of AI and contribute to the development of responsible AI standards.

 

 

 

The Fourth Industrial Revolution

by Klaus Schwab (2016)

This book describes a new era of rapid technological convergence, including AI, with profound impacts on industries and societies.
Schwab emphasizes the need to leverage these technologies for the common good.
The revolution demands adaptability and collaboration to shape a future where technology empowers rather than replaces people.

Relevance for Business:

SMBs must understand how AI and other emerging technologies will transform their industries. Embracing innovation, adapting business models, and fostering a collaborative culture are essential for survival and growth.

Call to Action:

Stay informed about emerging technologies and their potential impact on your business. Explore new partnerships and collaborations to leverage these technologies and consider how your business can contribute to a positive future shaped by this revolution.

 

 

Superminds: The Surprising Power of People and Computers Thinking Together

by Thomas W. Malone (2018)

This book explores how groups of people and computers can collaborate to achieve superior intelligence.
Malone shows how collective intelligence, enhanced by AI, can solve complex problems.
He argues for focusing on human-computer collaboration to harness the power of AI.

Relevance for Business:

SMBs can leverage the concept of superminds by fostering human-computer collaboration within their teams. Identify tasks where AI can assist human decision-making and problem-solving, improving efficiency and innovation.

Call to Action:

Encourage a culture of human-computer collaboration and explore AI tools that can enhance teamwork and decision-making within your organization. Invest in training to equip employees with the skills to effectively collaborate with AI.

 

 

AI for Business: A Practical Guide for Business Leaders to Extract Value from Artificial Intelligence

by Doug Rose (2020)

This book offers actionable insights for business leaders to harness AI for competitive advantage.
It focuses on explaining AI and machine learning concepts in a clear, accessible manner.
The book provides a practical guide for business leaders on how to use AI for competitive advantage.

Relevance for Business:

This book is a valuable resource for SMBs seeking to understand and implement AI strategies. It provides practical guidance on leveraging AI for tasks like customer service, marketing, sales, and operations.

Call to Action:

Explore the practical applications of AI mentioned in the book for your business. Start by identifying specific areas where AI can automate tasks, improve efficiency, or enhance customer experience.

 

 

Future-Proof Yourself: An AI Era Survival Guide

by Taehoon Kim (2025)

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of AI technologies and practical advice for individuals to adapt in the AI era.
It explores how AI works, its history, and emerging trends.
The book offers actionable advice for individuals to navigate the changes brought about by AI.

Relevance for Business:

While focusing on individuals, this book highlights the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in the AI era. SMBs can use this to inform their employee development strategies and foster a culture of lifelong learning within their organization.

Call to Action:

Encourage your employees to read and learn about AI and its potential impact on their roles. Provide resources and training to help them develop the skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven workplace.

 


References

Crawford, K. (2021). The atlas of AI power, politics, and the planetary costs of artificial intelligence. Yale University Press.

Kissinger, H., Schmidt, E., Huttenlocher, D. P., & Schouten, S. (2021). The age of AI: And our human future (1st edition.). Little, Brown and Company.

Lee, K.-F. (2018). AI superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the new world order. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Li, F. F. (2023). The worlds I see: Curiosity, exploration, and discovery at the dawn of AI (First edition.). Moment of Lift Books, Flatiron Books.

Mitchell, M. (2019). Artificial intelligence: A guide for thinking humans (1st ed.). Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Schiffrin, A. (Ed.). (2021). Media capture: How money, digital platforms, and governments control the news. Columbia University Press. https://doi.org/10.7312/schi18882

Suleyman, M., & Bhaskar, M. (2023). The coming wave: Technology, power, and the twenty-first century’s greatest dilemma (First edition.). Crown. 

Visser, W. (2011). The age of responsibility: CSR 2.0 and the new DNA of business. Wiley.

The Optimist by Keach Hagey (2025). A biography of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, exploring his rise in the tech industry and his role in the development of ChatGPT.

Empire of AI by Karen Hao (2025). A critical examination of Sam Altman’s leadership at OpenAI, discussing ethical concerns and the company’s shift from nonprofit to profit-driven motives.

The AI Con by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna (2025). Debunks myths surrounding AI, particularly large language models, and discusses the ethical and societal implications of AI technologies.

Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick (2024). Offers practical insights into integrating AI into daily work, emphasizing collaboration between humans and AI systems.

Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT, and the Race That Will Change the World by Parmy Olson (2024). Explores the competitive landscape of AI development, focusing on the rivalry between OpenAI and DeepMind.

The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI by Ray Kurzweil (2024). A sequel to his earlier work, discussing the future convergence of humans and AI, and the implications of such a merger.

AI Needs You: How We Can Change AI’s Future and Save Our Own by Verity Harding (2024). Advocates for inclusive and ethical AI development, emphasizing the role of diverse voices in shaping AI’s future.

God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning by Meghan O’Gieblyn (2021). Examines the philosophical and theological implications of AI and technology on human identity and meaning.

The Edge of Sentience: Risk and Precaution in Humans, Other Animals, and AI by Jonathan Birch (2024). Discusses the ethical considerations of sentience in AI and non-human animals, proposing a precautionary approach to their treatment.

Agentic Leadership: Timeless Truths, New Intelligence by Kashif Zaman (2025). Introduces a leadership framework that integrates AI to enhance decision-making, empathy, and organizational purpose.

The Unaccountability Machine: Why Big Systems Make Terrible Decisions—and How the World Lost Its Mind by Dan Davies (2024). Analyzes how large organizations, including those using AI, often diffuse responsibility, leading to poor decision-making.

AI for Executives: A Blueprint for Success, Innovation, and Growth by Doug Rose (2024). Provides strategies for business leaders to leverage AI across various departments, from marketing to HR.

Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals for Business Leaders by Tom Taulli (2024). Offers a non-technical overview of AI concepts, tailored for business executives seeking to understand AI’s impact.

Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World by Marco Iansiti & Karim R. Lakhani (2020). Explores how AI transforms business models and offers guidance on adapting leadership strategies accordingly.

Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence by Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans, and Avi Goldfarb (2018). Discusses the economic implications of AI, focusing on how it changes decision-making processes in businesses.

Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI by Paul R. Daugherty and H. James Wilson (2018). Examines the collaboration between humans and AI, proposing models for integrating AI into the workforce.

The AI Advantage: How to Put the Artificial Intelligence Revolution to Work by Thomas H. Davenport (2018). Provides practical advice for organizations looking to implement AI technologies effectively.

The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World by Pedro Domingos (2015). Introduces the concept of a universal learning algorithm and its potential to revolutionize various industries.

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark (2017). Explores the future scenarios of AI development and its potential impact on humanity.

The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies** by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee (2014). Analyzes how digital technologies, including AI, are transforming the economy and society.

The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity** by Amy Webb (2019). Critiques the influence of major tech companies on AI development and its societal implications.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution by Klaus Schwab (2016). Discusses the convergence of technologies, including AI, and their transformative effects on industries and societies.

Superminds: The Surprising Power of People and Computers Thinking Together by Thomas W. Malone (2018). Explores how groups of people and computers can collaborate to achieve superior intelligence.

AI for Business: A Practical Guide for Business Leaders to Extract Value from Artificial Intelligence** by Doug Rose (2020). Offers actionable insights for business leaders to harness AI for competitive advantage.

Future-Proof Yourself: An AI Era Survival Guide by Taehoon Kim (2025). Provides a comprehensive overview of AI technologies and practical advice for individuals to adapt in the AI era.

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