Why are we passionate about this?

Coming from two very different backgrounds gives Dean and I a unique ‘view’ of a topic that we are both hugely passionate about: artificial intelligence. Our work together has gifted us a broader perspective in terms of understanding the development of and the philosophy beneath what is coined as artificial intelligence today and where we truly stand in terms of its potential for good – and evil. Our book list is intended to provide a great starting point from where you can jump into this incredibly absorbing topic and draw your own conclusions about where the future might take us.


We wrote

Playing God with Artificial Intelligence

By Dean Anthony & Sarah-Jayne Gratton,

Book cover of Playing God with Artificial Intelligence

What is our book about?

It ignites a debate about the future of artificial intelligence, asking us all, “What if?” It brings to life Zavier,…

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The books we picked & why

Book cover of Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control

Dean Anthony & Sarah-Jayne Gratton Why did I love this book?

What sets this book apart for us is its focus on rethinking the very foundations of AI. The author, Russell, thoughtfully examines the concept of intelligence itself, comparing humans and machines and outlining the necessary milestones for reaching superhuman AI. 

He also doesn't shy away from the current dangers of AI misuse, providing some really great examples.

We found the book very hard to put down, and it raised so many ‘What if?” questions for us!

By Stuart Russell,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Human Compatible as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A leading artificial intelligence researcher lays out a new approach to AI that will enable us to coexist successfully with increasingly intelligent machines

In the popular imagination, superhuman artificial intelligence is an approaching tidal wave that threatens not just jobs and human relationships, but civilization itself. Conflict between humans and machines is seen as inevitable and its outcome all too predictable.

In this groundbreaking book, distinguished AI researcher Stuart Russell argues that this scenario can be avoided, but only if we rethink AI from the ground up. Russell begins by exploring the idea of intelligence in humans and in machines.…


Book cover of 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity

Dean Anthony & Sarah-Jayne Gratton Why did I love this book?

As a couple interested in the potential impacts of technology, we were immediately drawn to the question this book poses: "Will technology change what it means to be human?" In 2084, John Lennox addresses this question thoughtfully, offering a perspective grounded in both mathematics and philosophy while incorporating insights from his Christian worldview.

What we found truly compelling about this book was how Lennox draws parallels between the nature of humanity and the possibilities and limitations of AI. He delves into the Christian concept of the soul, our inherent moral sense, and our hopes for the future, effectively highlighting the distinction between machines and human beings.

By John C. Lennox,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked 2084 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Will technology change what it means to be human?

You don't have to be a computer scientist to have discerning conversations about artificial intelligence and technology. We all wonder where we're headed. Even now, technological innovations and machine learning have a daily impact on our lives, and many of us see good reasons to dread the future. Are we doomed to the surveillance society imagined in George Orwell's 1984?

Mathematician and philosopher John Lennox believes that there are credible answers to the daunting questions that AI poses, and he shows that Christianity has some very serious, sensible, evidence-based responses about…


Book cover of The Ethos of Artificial Intelligence: Using AI to Promote the Good Life While Avoiding Harm

Dean Anthony & Sarah-Jayne Gratton Why did I love this book?

A fantastic, non-techy read that cuts through the AI fear-mongering in a way that is both hopeful and practical. 

The authors work well together to craft a story of how we arrived at this point in time, where our ever-evolving research could lead us, and the practical solutions needed to enable us to move forward in a world governed by the complex and rapidly changing landscape of AI.

By Joe Danielewicz, Kirstin Thomas,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The public debut of ChatGPT was a watershed moment. It awakened us to the fact that general artificial intelligence—a technology that had long been a source of fantasy and fiction—was finally here and operating among us. For the first time in history, ordinary citizens could converse directly with an AI chatbot. The thrill of this 'first encounter' with artificial general intelligence, coupled with the astonishing capabilities that AI chatbots displayed, gave rise to concerns about whether AI was sentient or self-aware. Although we have been using AI-assisted applications for years in such forms as facial recognition and language translation, our…


Book cover of In Silico Dreams: How Artificial Intelligence and Biotechnology Will Create the Medicines of the Future

Dean Anthony & Sarah-Jayne Gratton Why did I love this book?

We found this book to be an eye-opening exploration of the revolutionary merging of artificial intelligence and biotechnology. Brian Hilbush expertly guided us through the cutting-edge advancements that are transforming drug discovery and therapeutics without being too technical or scientific in his use of language.

We found Hilbush’s story to be a fascinating breakdown of how AI and deep learning are revolutionizing medicine, with some great insights into the rise of data science in healthcare, groundbreaking biotech innovations, and the exciting startup landscape shaping the industry's future.

By Brian S. Hilbush,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked In Silico Dreams as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Learn how AI and data science are upending the worlds of biology and medicine

In Silico Dreams: How Artificial Intelligence and Biotechnology Will Create the Medicines of the Future delivers an illuminating and fresh perspective on the convergence of two powerful technologies: AI and biotech. Accomplished genomics expert, executive, and author Brian Hilbush offers readers a brilliant exploration of the most current work of pioneering tech giants and biotechnology startups who have already started disrupting healthcare. The book provides an in-depth understanding of the sources of innovation that are driving the shift in the pharmaceutical industry away from serendipitous therapeutic…


Book cover of From Deep Learning to Rational Machines: What the History of Philosophy Can Teach Us about the Future of Artificial Intelligence

Dean Anthony & Sarah-Jayne Gratton Why did I love this book?

Don't be fooled by the lack of a breezy narrative. This read is a dense exploration of deep learning's impact and is certainly not an ‘easy read’ by any measure, but its rewards are substantial.

Buckner delves deep into the philosophical debates surrounding AI, particularly the clash between empiricism and rationalism. Through this lens, he develops a "moderate empiricism" that sheds light on the true potential and limitations of AI. While the book demands focus, we found the payoff to be significant.

By Cameron J. Buckner,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked From Deep Learning to Rational Machines as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book provides a framework for thinking about foundational philosophical questions surrounding the use of deep artificial neural networks ("deep learning") to achieve artificial intelligence. Specifically, it links recent breakthroughs to classic works in empiricist philosophy of mind. In recent assessments of deep learning's potential, scientists have cited historical figures from the philosophical debate between nativism and empiricism, which concerns the origins of abstract knowledge. These empiricists were faculty psychologists; that is, they argued that the extraction of abstract knowledge from experience involves the active engagement of psychological faculties such as perception, memory, imagination, attention, and empathy. This book explains…


Explore my book 😀

Playing God with Artificial Intelligence

By Dean Anthony & Sarah-Jayne Gratton,

Book cover of Playing God with Artificial Intelligence

What is our book about?

It ignites a debate about the future of artificial intelligence, asking us all, “What if?” It brings to life Zavier, a hypothetical humanoid created to think independently and with the potential to surpass human-level intelligence. Could Zavier hold the key to solving humanity's problems and become our planet’s ‘Savior’ or will our greatest creation lead to our final downfall?

As you read, you’ll dive into the philosophies and technological hurdles of building a truly conscious AI. This utterly thought-provoking story explores the line between creation and playing God and resonates with the phrase: “Be careful what you wish for!” It’s a cautionary tale with an ethical core.

Book cover of Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control
Book cover of 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity
Book cover of The Ethos of Artificial Intelligence: Using AI to Promote the Good Life While Avoiding Harm

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No Average Day: The 24 Hours of October 24, 1944

By Rona Simmons,

Book cover of No Average Day: The 24 Hours of October 24, 1944

Rona Simmons Author Of No Average Day: The 24 Hours of October 24, 1944

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I come by my interest in history and the years before, during, and after the Second World War honestly. For one thing, both my father and my father-in-law served as pilots in the war, my father a P-38 pilot in North Africa and my father-in-law a B-17 bomber pilot in England. Their histories connect me with a period I think we can still almost reach with our fingertips and one that has had a momentous impact on our lives today. I have taken that interest and passion to discover and write true life stories of the war—focusing on the untold and unheard stories often of the “Average Joe.”

Rona's book list on World War II featuring the average Joe

What is my book about?

October 24, 1944, is not a day of national remembrance. Yet, more Americans serving in World War II perished on that day than on any other single day of the war.

The narrative of No Average Day proceeds hour by hour and incident by incident while focusing its attention on ordinary individuals—clerks, radio operators, cooks, sailors, machinist mates, riflemen, and pilots and their air crews. All were men who chose to serve their country and soon found themselves in a terrifying and otherworldly place.

No Average Day reveals the vastness of the war as it reaches past the beaches in…

No Average Day: The 24 Hours of October 24, 1944

By Rona Simmons,

What is this book about?

October 24, 1944, is not a day of national remembrance. Yet, more Americans serving in World War II perished on that day than on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, or on June 6, 1944, when the Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy, or on any other single day of the war. In its telling of the events of October 24, No Average Day proceeds hour by hour and incident by incident. The book begins with Army Private First-Class Paul Miller's pre-dawn demise in the Sendai #6B Japanese prisoner of war camp. It concludes with the death…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and religion and science?

Machine Learning 53 books