"We might hope that this book ends up in the hands of those who could take a leadership role, before it is too late. Harding’s optimism is tempered by experience and knowledge, and her arguments are compelling and engaging." - Kirkus

"Harding sits at the intersection of politics, policy, and technology, and she brings her knowledge to this accessible introduction to AI and how it will shape our workplaces and beyond." - Harper’s Bazaar

"Fascinating. . . . Finished it in two sittings without even meaning to. Most readable book about tech I’ve read in years."---Phil Reilly, Meta

“Verity Harding is a rare beast-a technologist who thinks deeply about society. So when she tells us AI needs us, we should listen. In this thoughtful, clever, and very accessible book, you will learn about how we have faced huge technical innovations in the past and why, more than ever before, we must engage with how AI is shaping the future.”-Baroness Martha Lane-Fox

“What is the world that AI is creating? And why are the rest of us letting this world be shaped by a small, privileged group of (mainly) men in Silicon Valley? This book, rooted in deep historical insights about prior technological disruptions, is essential reading for anybody keen to ensure the transformative power of AI is directed to the common good.”-Diane Coyle, author of Cogs and Monsters

“This is history at its most essential. Providing a forensic analysis of the past that provokes lessons, warnings, and inspiration, Harding empowers us to join a conversation from which the tech bros have tried to exclude us. This brilliant book is a scholarly, optimistic call to action.”-Dan Snow, founder of the History Hit podcast

“A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the defining technology of our era, from a unique author who has had a front row seat in AI’s development.”-Katie Prescott, technology business editor, The Times

“With an engaging blend of storytelling and analysis, Harding argues that, even on the shifting frontiers between science and science fiction, democracy still matters. Wise, convincing, essential.”-Alwyn Turner, author of All in It Together

“An important and insightful book on one of the most important and challenging issues of our time.”-Alastair Campbell, cohost of The Rest Is Politics podcast

“Essential. There’s no one else I’d more want to read on this subject.”-Sathnam Sanghera, author of Stolen History

Verity Harding

One of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in AI, Verity Harding is Director of the AI and Geopolitics Project at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge and founder of Formation Advisory, a consultancy firm that advises on the future of technology and society. She was Google DeepMind's first Global Head of Policy and is a former political adviser to Britain’s deputy prime minister.