Why am I passionate about this?

I spent over forty years developing complex, software-intensive systems, and the Association of Computing Machinery honored me with the title of distinguished engineer. AI and robotics have been my main technical focus for the last 5 years. For the last couple of years, I have been binge-watching videos on advances in AI and robotics and binge-reading books on the topic. I am also a multi-award-winning author of science fiction novels and short stories. Most of the short stories in my coming book involve AI and robots.


I wrote...

A Cauldron of Uncanny Dreams

By Donald Firesmith,

Book cover of A Cauldron of Uncanny Dreams

What is my book about?

My book is a collection of uncanny short stories and poems that dare you to peer into the depths of…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century's Greatest Dilemma

Donald Firesmith Why did I love this book?

I loved this book because it is written by one of the foremost experts in AI, so I know I can trust the accuracy of the book’s technical aspects. Although written for a general audience so anyone can read it, the book nevertheless has a great deal of useful insights for engineers working in technology.

It clearly covers the critically important ramifications of today’s extremely rapid technical advancements being made, including safety and the alignment of an Artificial General Intelligence’s goals with those of humanity. It also comes with a clear set of definitions.

By Mustafa Suleyman, Michael Bhaskar,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Coming Wave as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*An Economist, Financial Times, Guardian, Prospect and Sunday Times Book of the Year*
Shortlisted for the FT and Schroders Business Book of the Year

This is the only book you need to understand our new world - from the ultimate AI insider, the CEO of Microsoft AI and co-founder of the pioneering AI company DeepMind.

'Important' YUVAL NOAH HARARI
'Excellent' BILL GATES
'Astonishing' STEPHEN FRY
'Stunning' RORY STEWART

Soon you will live surrounded by AIs. In a world of quantum computers, robot assistants and abundant energy, they will organise your life, operate your business, and run government services.

None of…


Book cover of The Age of AI: And Our Human Future

Donald Firesmith Why did I love this book?

I loved this book because it provides a unique view of the ramifications of AI, including its impact on politics, international relations, and the military. While not a book one would use to learn the basics of the technology of artificial intelligence, it nevertheless provides a useful view of its important non-technical ramifications.

By Henry A. Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, Daniel Huttenlocher

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Age of AI as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Three of the world’s most accomplished and deep thinkers come together to explore Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the way it is transforming human society—and what this technology means for us all.

An AI learned to win chess by making moves human grand masters had never conceived. Another AI discovered a new antibiotic by analyzing molecular properties human scientists did not understand. Now, AI-powered jets are defeating experienced human pilots in simulated dogfights. AI is coming online in searching, streaming, medicine, education, and many other fields and, in so doing, transforming how humans are experiencing reality.

In The Age of AI,…


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Book cover of Traumatization and Its Aftermath: A Systemic Approach to Understanding and Treating Trauma Disorders

Traumatization and Its Aftermath By Antonieta Contreras,

A fresh take on the difference between trauma and hardship in order to help accurately spot the difference and avoid over-generalizations.

The book integrates the latest findings in brain science, child development, psycho-social context, theory, and clinical experiences to make the case that trauma is much more than a cluster…

Book cover of Machines of Tomorrow: From AI Origins to Superintelligence & Posthumanity

Donald Firesmith Why did I love this book?

I really loved this book because of its wide breadth. If you are only going to read a single book on AI and its ramifications, this would be my top recommendation.

It covers everything from the history of artificial intelligence to what the short- and mid-term future will look like. This book provides a solid foundation to help you prepare for a future dominated by AIs and robots. 

By Pedro Uria-Recio,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Machines of Tomorrow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Machines of Tomorrow offers a fascinating journey into the future of AI, providing a unique perspective that combines technology, economics, geopolitics, and history." — PASCAL BORNET, Technology Influencer, 2 million followers.

How AI Will Shape Our World.

Written in an easy-to-read style accessible to everyone, "Machines of Tomorrow" grounds the reader in a thorough history and description of Artificial Intelligence, enabling an appreciation of its real trajectory and ultimately a deeper level of engagement with the core concept of the book: what should societies expect from AI in the coming decades?

How does AI truly function? How will AI affect…


Book cover of The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity

Donald Firesmith Why did I love this book?

I really liked this book because, besides covering the potential ramifications of AI and robots, it also provides interesting insights explaining why different people hold radically different views on how they will affect the future.

While I don’t agree with all the author’s statements, it nevertheless provides much to consider.

By Byron Reese,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Fourth Age as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As we approach a great turning point in history when technology is poised to redefine what it means to be human, The Fourth Age offers fascinating insight into AI, robotics, and their extraordinary implications for our species. "If you only read just one book about the AI revolution, make it this one" (John Mackey, cofounder and CEO, Whole Foods Market).

In The Fourth Age, Byron Reese makes the case that technology has reshaped humanity just three times in history: 100,000 years ago, we harnessed fire, which led to language; 10,000 years ago, we developed agriculture, which led to cities and…


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Book cover of Benghazi! A New History of the Fiasco that Pushed America and its World to the Brink

Benghazi! A New History of the Fiasco that Pushed America and its World to the Brink By Ethan Chorin,

Benghazi: A New History is a look back at the enigmatic 2012 attack on the US mission in Benghazi, Libya, its long-tail causes, and devastating (and largely unexamined) consequences for US domestic politics and foreign policy. It contains information not found elsewhere, and is backed up by 40 pages of…

Book cover of AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future

Donald Firesmith Why did I love this book?

As an author of science fiction, I loved this book because each chapter included a brief science fiction short story illustrating the chapter’s subject. This is another very-readable book for non-technical people interested in what the future of AI will be like.

The book estimates when various ramifications of AI will occur, but the field is advancing at an accelerating rate, so the dates need to be taken with a grain of salt.

By Kai-Fu Lee, Chen Qiufan,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked AI 2041 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A WALL STREET JOURNAL, WASHINGTON POST, AND FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

In this ground-breaking blend of imaginative storytelling and scientific forecasting, a pioneering AI expert and a leading writer of speculative fiction join forces to answer an imperative question: How will artificial intelligence change our world within twenty years?

AI will be the defining development of the twenty-first century. Within two decades, aspects of daily human life will be unrecognizable. AI will generate unprecedented wealth, revolutionize medicine and education through human-machine symbiosis, and create brand new forms of communication and entertainment. In liberating us from routine work,…


Explore my book 😀

A Cauldron of Uncanny Dreams

By Donald Firesmith,

Book cover of A Cauldron of Uncanny Dreams

What is my book about?

My book is a collection of uncanny short stories and poems that dare you to peer into the depths of the night and uncover what lies beyond the veil. Each tale conjures a portal to the macabre and the marvelous, destined to haunt your dreams and ignite your imagination.

Designed to be devoured late at night and preferably in solitude, this book is a masterful concoction of fear, suspense, and the utterly unexpected. Take a sip of this strange brew and be prepared to be enthralled, enchanted, and occasionally terrified. Whether you like ghosts, vampires, demons, or voodoo, this book is for you.

Book cover of The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century's Greatest Dilemma
Book cover of The Age of AI: And Our Human Future
Book cover of Machines of Tomorrow: From AI Origins to Superintelligence & Posthumanity

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5 Stars By Louise Blackwick,

Five days before the end of humanity, five unlikely heroes find themselves on an impossible quest to outlive the apocalypse.

5 Stars is the survival story of a mother and her baby facing impossible odds amidst a global apocalypse. Set in a dying world overseen by “The Neon God,” the…

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What happens when a person is placed into a medically-induced coma?

The brain might be flatlining, but the mind is far from inactive: experiencing alternate lives rich in every detail that spans decades, visiting realms of stunning and majestic beauty, or plummeting to the very depths of Hell while defying…

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