<p>Is all the talk about AI overwhelming you? Are you looking to update your AI gyaan without feeling foolish? Here are three books you can pick up: </p>.<p><em><strong>Empire of AI: Dreams And Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI by Karen Hao</strong></em> (Penguin/2025):</p>.<p>This is a sharp, deeply reported analysis on OpenAI’s rise, its ethical blindspots and its global impact. Hao weaves stories from Silicon Valley to Kenya, exposing AI’s problematic colonial backstories. Smartly written, critical and unsettling in many ways, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to take a peek behind the AGI curtain. </p>.<p><em><strong>The Edge of Sentience by Jonathan Birch (OUP/2024):</strong></em></p>.<p>This is an unusual selection, but one that explores what sentience means when we build machines and treat other beings ethically. Birch asks how to decide when life “feels like life” and how we should act when we are not really sure. Grounded in solid research, this is an essential guide to understanding the moral frontiers AI is likely to breach. </p>.<p><em><strong>The Shortest History of AI by Toby Welsh (Macmillan/2025):</strong></em></p>.<p>This offers a concise and engaging overview of AI’s evolution. Divided into six key ideas, the author traces AI from its symbolic era to the current rapidly developing phase. The book highlights milestones such as the birth of ChatGPT and DeepMind’s AlphaGo. Accessible and informative, this is the ideal book for readers seeking a clear understanding of AI’s journey. </p>.<p>Mood Board is a new column that presents thematic lists of books on hot-button topics.</p>
<p>Is all the talk about AI overwhelming you? Are you looking to update your AI gyaan without feeling foolish? Here are three books you can pick up: </p>.<p><em><strong>Empire of AI: Dreams And Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI by Karen Hao</strong></em> (Penguin/2025):</p>.<p>This is a sharp, deeply reported analysis on OpenAI’s rise, its ethical blindspots and its global impact. Hao weaves stories from Silicon Valley to Kenya, exposing AI’s problematic colonial backstories. Smartly written, critical and unsettling in many ways, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to take a peek behind the AGI curtain. </p>.<p><em><strong>The Edge of Sentience by Jonathan Birch (OUP/2024):</strong></em></p>.<p>This is an unusual selection, but one that explores what sentience means when we build machines and treat other beings ethically. Birch asks how to decide when life “feels like life” and how we should act when we are not really sure. Grounded in solid research, this is an essential guide to understanding the moral frontiers AI is likely to breach. </p>.<p><em><strong>The Shortest History of AI by Toby Welsh (Macmillan/2025):</strong></em></p>.<p>This offers a concise and engaging overview of AI’s evolution. Divided into six key ideas, the author traces AI from its symbolic era to the current rapidly developing phase. The book highlights milestones such as the birth of ChatGPT and DeepMind’s AlphaGo. Accessible and informative, this is the ideal book for readers seeking a clear understanding of AI’s journey. </p>.<p>Mood Board is a new column that presents thematic lists of books on hot-button topics.</p>
