With more and more self-proclaimed AI experts falling over themselves to sell their AI talk and prompts, it is wise to immerse yourself in the subject. I can recommend seven books that will help you get started with artificial intelligence (AI) in the digital transformation of your organisation in a serious and responsible manner.

I have read six books with great interest and used them for my own book, Strategy in Digital Transformation, and in my advice to organisations. The seventh and final book in the series is yet to be published. Read at least three of these books and you will know more than many an “AI expert”.

Applied artificial intelligence - Mariya Yao

I wrote a review of Applied AI on CMS Wire back in 2018. What I still like so much about the book is that the authors devote considerable attention to the essential role of data in artificial intelligence. People tend to be far too naive about the enormous task of “data drudgery”: cleaning and organising data. That accounts for 80 per cent of the work, which has to be done by specialists. Specialists who are still extremely scarce.

In the expanded second edition of the Applied AI book (2024), the authors delve into the latest developments in AI, particularly in large language models and AI-driven image generation. They explore how different AI functions in companies can not only use predictive AI, but also embrace generative AI and implement these advanced technologies safely and ethically for the benefit of both organisations and society.

Why read it? This book gives you the basics of what artificial intelligence is and how it relates to data. It also shows that there is more to AI than just Generative AI, which means you will already know more than about 65% of self-proclaimed “AI experts”.

TIP. Sign up for TOPBOTS, Mariya Yao's newsletter.

Rebooting AI - Gary Marcus

Together with Ernest Davis, Gary Marcus wrote the book Rebooting AI. Back in 2019, he warned about the dangers and excessive expectations of (generative) AI.

Gary and Ernest have spent their careers at the forefront of AI research, but they argue that the fact that a computer can beat a human at Jeopardy! does not mean that we are on the verge of getting fully autonomous cars or super-intelligent machines.

For this book, they draw inspiration from the human spirit and explain what we need to take AI to the next level. They suggest that if we proceed wisely, we need not worry about a future in which machines hold the power. If we focus on providing machines with common sense and deep understanding, rather than concentrating solely on statistical analysis and collecting ever-increasing amounts of data, we will be able to create AI that we can trust.

Gary was criticised for his powerful message that Generative AI had reached its ceiling (“Hitting a wall”, as he put it), but now seems to be proven right – and recognised for it.

Why read it? Rebooting AI offers a clear, insightful assessment of current science and an inspiring vision of how a new generation of AI can improve our lives. This book gives you arguments to counter the hype talk of self-proclaimed AI experts and start a realistic conversation about the opportunities AI offers for organisations and society.

Tip. Listen to a recent interview with Gary in which he advocates Neurosymbolic AI.

AI Snake Oil - Arvind Narayanan & Sayash Kapoor

In “AI Snake Oil”, computer scientists Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor cut through the confusion and provide essential information about how AI works and why it often doesn't work, where it can be useful or harmful, and when to suspect that companies are using the AI hype to sell AI snake oil – products that don't work and probably never will. The book is quite technical in places, but it is well written and clear.

While acknowledging the potential of some AI, such as ChatGPT, AI Snake Oil exposes the widespread misleading claims about AI's capabilities and describes the serious harm AI is already causing through the way it is built, marketed, and used in areas such as education, medicine, recruitment, banking, insurance, and criminal justice.

The book explains the crucial differences between types of AI, why organisations fall for AI snake oil, why AI cannot fix social media, why AI does not pose an existential risk, and why we should be much more concerned about what people will do with AI than what AI itself will do. The book also warns of the dangers of a world in which AI is still controlled by large tech companies that are largely unaccountable.

Why read it? By exposing the limitations and real risks of AI, “AI Snake Oil” helps you make better decisions about whether to use AI at work and at home, and how best to do so.

TIP. Sign up for Arvind and Sayash's AI as Normal Technology newsletter.

Leap - Howard Yu

In his book Leap, “Lego professor” Howard Yu describes how every organisation faces the existential threat of competitors producing cheaper copies. Even patent applications, market dominance and financial resources cannot protect them from copycats.

So what can we do – and what can we learn from companies that have survived and even flourished for centuries despite competition from copycats?

This book is not explicitly about AI, but it does discuss how professionals and organisations can deal with (digital) disruption. Companies need to transcend knowledge disciplines and rethink how a product is made or a service is delivered. This tried-and-tested tactic can protect a company from being overtaken by new (and often foreign) copycat competitors.

Using fascinating case studies of successful leaps and tragic falls, Yu illustrates five principles for success that span a wide range of industries, countries and eras.

Why read it? This book teaches you how to look beyond scratching the surface with GenAI and other digital tools. It's about reinventing your position in the ecosystem. Ultimately, Leap is a manifesto on how pioneering companies can survive and thrive in a world of constant change and inevitable imitators.

TIP. Sign up for Howard Yu's One Inch Ahead newsletter.

Reshuffle - Sangeet Paul Choudary

Sangeet Paul Choudary’s Reshuffle builds on Howard Yu’s Leap and challenges readers to view the true power of AI differently—not as a tool for more efficient automation, but as the missing mechanism to radically restructure economic systems by improving coordination.

When machines take over knowledge work, not only do processes shift, but so do power dynamics, organisational structures, and entire industries. Choudary redefines AI not as a smarter brain, but as better glue that transforms economic systems.

With vivid stories, sharp analyses, and historical parallels, the book unravels four critical tensions: between workers and their tools, suppliers and companies, incumbents and disruptors, and individuals versus institutions. The book offers a bold exploration of how AI is not just changing our work, but also the foundations of power and control in the economy."

Why read it? For anyone who takes digital transformation seriously, Reshuffle is an indispensable guide. The book doesn’t just help you understand AI’s impact on the knowledge economy—it also prepares you to anticipate who will thrive and who will fall behind as the deck is reshuffled. Choudary’s insights equip you with the tools to seize opportunities and navigate challenges in a world where AI is rewriting the rules of the game. This is a book that doesn’t just make you think—it compels you to act.

"TIP: Subscribe to Sangeet Paul Choudary’s @platforms Substack

Empire of AI - Karen Hao

One book that must not be missing from any list of AI books is 'Empire of AI' by Karen Hao. This is not just another book about artificial intelligence, but a meticulously researched exposé of the abuses by AI tech companies—especially OpenAI.

As an investigative journalist, Hao began covering OpenAI in 2019 with idealism, drawn to its founding as a nonprofit with safety as its core mission. But she soon uncovered a harsh reality: the AI industry demands an unprecedented amount of resources—computing power, data, cheap labor, and alarmingly high energy and water consumption. Only a handful of global tech giants can compete in this space. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, proved to be no exception to the temptations of power and profit.

With fearless reporting, Hao paints the full picture of AI: from the boardrooms of Silicon Valley to the data workers in Kenya and the water activists in Chile. She exposes how raw power disguises itself behind ideology, and how the extraction of resources and labor continues unabated. The book offers not only a sharp analysis of the current state of AI but also a forecast of where this technology is leading us.

Why read it? This book is essential for anyone who wants to understand the true cost and power structures behind AI. Hao’s firsthand account lifts the veil on the industry, revealing both the promises and the dark sides of this technology. Whether you’re involved in tech, policy, or simply want to be an informed citizen, this book gives you the insights to critically examine the forces shaping our era

TIP: Check out Kren Hao's other work on AI abuses and misconduct.

The Nerd Reich - Gil Durán

The Nerd Reich by Gil Durán is the only book I haven’t read yet, simply because it hasn’t been published. This book—which will be released on August 4, 2026—is a ‘spin-off’ of the letter of the same name covering 'tech authoritarianism, billionaire extremism, the Network State, and the meta-politics of California.'

The newsletter reports on all the (un)savory AI affairs in the 'Bay Area,' but it’s also fascinating for anyone outside this bubble. Precisely because the reporting is so close to the source, it offers a glimpse into a possible future for all of us.

The tone of the newsletter is far from subtle, and the book promises to be at least as provocative—if the book’s subtitle, Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy, and its introduction are anything to go by

The Nerd Reich exposes the origins, strategies, and ambitions of Silicon Valley’s war on democracy. From San Francisco’s militarised elections and secret billionaire projects to the White House, Durán reveals how the world’s richest men are constructing a new political order.

The Nerd Reich is more than a hidden history—it is an urgent warning: democracy is not dismantled by coups or tanks, but by code, capital, and the illusion of innovation. Durán emphasises that there is still time to fight back—if we act now.

Why read it? By mid-2026—a half-year after its release—we’ll see whether the warnings in this book have come too late, or if the GenAI hype, along with the very real downfall of OpenAI, has fizzled out like a candle in the night.

TIP: Subscribe to Gil Durán’s Nerd Reich newsletter

Order from your local bookstore

Of course, it’s very convenient and quick to order these books from Bol or Amazon. But I strongly recommend ordering from your local bookstore. They could really use the revenue.

For example, at Boekhandel Bijleveld in Utrecht.

https://www.boekhandelbijleveld.nl/bestel-een-boek/

Share your favorite local bookstore in the comments—with a link, please! That way, other readers can follow your example.