Scary Smart: The Future of AI and How You Can Save Our World by Mo Gawdat - Non Fiction - Paperback

Details
Condition: Brand New
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781529077650
Publisher: Bluebird (Pan Macmillan)
Age Range: Adult (18+)

Overview
Scary Smart is Mo Gawdat's urgent guide to the future of artificial intelligence, written not for coders or policymakers but for everyday readers. Drawing on his years as Chief Business Officer of Google X, Gawdat argues that AI already surpasses human intelligence in speed and focus, yet still gets things badly wrong. This paperback explains why, and lays out a practical blueprint for ensuring AI develops in a way that benefits humanity rather than threatens it.

About the Book
Artificial intelligence can process information at extraordinary speed, remain relentlessly focused, and even anticipate outcomes before they happen. Yet, as Mo Gawdat explains, machines built to mimic us inevitably inherit our flaws as well as our strengths. Scary Smart unpacks this paradox, tracing how AI systems learn from human behaviour and why that makes their trajectory both remarkable and unsettling. Rather than leaving this to engineers or regulators, Gawdat insists ordinary people hold the real power to influence how AI evolves. The book moves through three parts: understanding the scale and speed of the AI revolution already underway, recognising the risks of an intelligence that may soon exceed our own, and, most importantly, a practical framework for readers to help shape a safer relationship between humans and machines. Named a Sunday Times Business Book of the Year, Scary Smart blends insider knowledge of Silicon Valley's AI projects with an accessible, conversational style. It is as much a call to action as an explanation of where AI is headed, urging readers to raise the machines of tomorrow with the same care and values we would want any child to inherit.

Key Benefits

• Written by a Google X insider with first-hand experience of cutting-edge AI development
• Explains complex AI concepts in clear, jargon-free language for general readers
• Offers a practical, actionable blueprint for shaping AI's future responsibly
• Named a Sunday Times Business Book of the Year
• Thought-provoking read for anyone concerned about technology's impact on society

About the Author
Mo Gawdat is an Egyptian entrepreneur, engineer and author. He served as Chief Business Officer for Google X, Google's innovation and moonshot factory, where he worked closely on advanced technology and artificial intelligence projects. Following a personal tragedy, Gawdat shifted his focus to writing and speaking about happiness and the ethical development of technology. He is the author of the bestselling Solve for Happy as well as Scary Smart, and is a widely followed voice on podcasts discussing AI's impact on humanity.

Why You'll Love This Book
Scary Smart cuts through hype and fear to deliver a genuinely useful, human-centred guide to AI's future. Gawdat's warmth, insider expertise and refreshing honesty make this essential reading for anyone who wants to understand — and influence — where technology takes us next.

Please Note: Cover image shown is for the UK paperback edition with ISBN 9781529077650. Actual cover design may vary slightly by print run.