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Finito World
Books about the future of technology tend to fall into two camps: breathless utopianism or doom-laden warnings. Mustafa Suleyman’s The Coming Wave manages to straddle both perspectives with remarkable dexterity, offering a compelling, urgent, and deeply informed account of the revolutionary changes looming over humanity. As a co-founder of DeepMind and a key player in AI development, Suleyman is uniquely positioned to chart both the promise and peril of the technological surge. This book is not just about artificial intelligence but a broader “wave” of innovations that could redefine our world in ways we are scarcely prepared for.
Suleyman’s thesis is stark: humanity is at an inflection point, driven by what he calls the “wave of imminent technological transformation.” He argues that we are entering an era where AI, synthetic biology, and other radical advancements will reshape every facet of our existence. And yet, despite these breakthroughs, our ability to govern and regulate them is woefully inadequate. “The greatest challenge of the coming decades,” he writes, “will be maintaining control over the technologies we have unleashed.”
The book opens with a historical perspective, drawing comparisons to previous transformative waves such as the Industrial Revolution and the nuclear age. However, Suleyman contends that this wave is different—faster, more pervasive, and potentially more destabilising. Unlike the slow adoption of past technologies, the AI revolution is accelerating at breakneck speed, propelled by a handful of powerful corporations and states.
One of the book’s central arguments is that we are entering the “contained era,” a period in which societies will scramble to establish safeguards against uncontrolled technological escalation. “Containment,” as Suleyman describes it, is the urgent and necessary response to the existential risks posed by AI and other emerging technologies. Without proactive governance, he warns, we risk catastrophic failures on a global scale. The dilemma, as he sees it, is that while these innovations promise immense benefits, they also introduce vulnerabilities that could be exploited by bad actors or even spiral out of control due to unintended consequences.
One of the most striking passages in the book comes when Suleyman describes the double-edged nature of AI. “For every problem AI solves, it creates another.” Suleyman also touches on the philosophical implications of AI. If machines surpass human intelligence, what does that mean for our sense of agency? Will we become mere spectators in our own history? The book stops short of full-blown dystopian speculation but does not shy away from acknowledging these deeper existential questions.
Where The Coming Wave excels is in its clarity and accessibility. Suleyman avoids technical jargon, making the book an engaging read even for those without a deep background in AI or biotechnology. His writing is measured, urgent without being alarmist, and enriched with real-world examples that illustrate his points convincingly.
Critics might argue that Suleyman, as an industry insider, is part of the very problem he diagnoses. He acknowledges this tension but maintains that he has a duty to warn about the dangers he helped bring into existence. Some may also find his policy prescriptions too vague or overly optimistic about the possibility of global coordination in an era of increasing geopolitical fragmentation.
Nevertheless, The Coming Wave is an essential read for anyone interested in the future of technology and society. It is neither a paean to innovation nor a jeremiad against progress, but a thoughtful, well-researched call to action. Suleyman leaves us with a haunting reminder: “The wave is coming. Whether we sink or swim depends on the choices we make today.”
This book is a wake-up call, and one that we would be wise to heed.
