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The AI Toolkit: Understanding the Tech That’s Changing Everything

A curated selection of books to introduce you to the technology that's reshaping the world. From the fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to practical guides on getting the most out of powerful intelligent tools, this is your essential reading for navigating the age of the algorithm. Whether you are looking to embrace AI as a creative partner or questioning the ethics of its rapid growth, these titles explore the critical debate of our time: how we should—and should not—be using the machines we’ve built.

User from Boston Public Library

16 items

  • Empire of AI

    Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI

    Hao, Karen,
    An essential exposé on the rise of OpenAI. Moving beyond the "tech-talk," Karen Hao reveals the intense rivalries and ethical compromises that shaped the AI revolution. It’s a fascinating, deeply researched account for anyone curious about the…
    Book, 2025New York : Penguin Press, 2025.
  • The Shortest History of AI

    the Six Essential Ideas That Animate It

    Walsh, Toby,
    The definitive "cheat sheet" for the AI age. Distilled into six essential concepts, this compact history covers everything from Alan Turing’s first questions to the rise of modern chatbots. It’s an illuminating, jargon-free tour of how humans taught…
    Book, 2025New York : The Experiment, [2025]
  • The Scaling Era

    An Oral History of AI, 2019–2025

    Patel, Dwarkesh
    Can machines actually think? And if they can, will they share our goals? Dwarkesh Patel sits down with the world’s leading AI researchers to answer the questions that define our era. Distilled from over a hundred hours of expert conversation, this…
    eBook, 2025Stripe Press, 2025
  • It sounds like a Hollywood plot, but for Eliezer Yudkowsky, the danger is terrifyingly real. As world powers race to build "superhuman" intelligence, this book argues that we are sprinting toward a disaster we don’t yet know how to stop. It’s a…
    eBook, 2025Little, Brown and Company, 2025
  • Co-intelligence

    Living and Working With AI

    Mollick, Ethan, 1975-
    Stop thinking of AI as a search engine and start treating it like a coworker. Wharton professor Ethan Mollick argues that we have entered the age of "co-intelligence," where the most successful people won't be replaced by machines, but will work…
    Book, 2024[New York] : Portfolio/Penguin, [2024]
  • Why Machines Learn

    the Elegant Math Behind Modern AI

    Ananthaswamy, Anil,
    If the "how" of AI feels like a black box, this book is the key. While many books focus on the ethics or the future of AI, Why Machines Learn dives into the elegant math that makes it all possible. It’s a beautifully written guide that explains the…
    Book, 2024[New York] : Dutton, [2024]
  • The Eye of the Master

    a Social History of Artificial Intelligence

    Pasquinelli, Matteo,
    AI didn't start in a Silicon Valley garage—it started on the factory floor. Matteo Pasquinelli takes us on a fascinating tour of history to show how today's algorithms are actually descendants of the old ways we organized labor and tracked human…
    Book, 2023London ; New York : Verso, 2023.
  • Think AI is just science fiction? Think again. From your smartwatch to your favorite chat box, artificial intelligence is already running the show. This straightforward guide strips away the jargon to explain how algorithms and data actually work,…
    eBook, 2025Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2025]
  • Think of ChatGPT as the world’s most versatile assistant—now with an instruction manual. This guide shows you how to turn the popular AI into a research partner, a creative writer, and a life organizer. Whether you want to draft a difficult email,…
    Book, 2025Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2025]
  • Your all-in-one guide to the AI explosion. This book moves beyond simple text to explore the tools that create audio, video, and imagery out of thin air. Whether you’re a total beginner or a tech-curious professional, you’ll learn the ethical,…
    eBook, 2025Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2025]
  • The Thinking Machine

    Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World's Most Coveted Microchip

    Witt, Stephen,
    The definitive biography of the company powering the AI age. Acclaimed journalist Stephen Witt chronicles Nvidia’s meteoric rise from a niche gaming brand to the global engine of modern computing. It’s a fascinating portrait of visionary leadership,…
    Book, 2025[New York] : Viking, [2025]
  • Can a computer truly "understand" a conversation, or is it just playing a very sophisticated game of follow-the-leader? Renowned computer scientist Melanie Mitchell cuts through the extravagant promises of Silicon Valley to reveal the messy,…
    Book, 2019New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019.
  • Supremacy

    AI, ChatGPT, and the Race That Will Change the World

    Olson, Parmy
    While tech leaders talk about "super-intelligent machines," the real impact of AI is happening right now in our schools, jobs, and media. Supremacy exposes the hidden costs of the AI race, showing how the rush for profit can lead to flawed and…
    eBook, 2024St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2024
  • Code Dependent

    Living in the Shadow of AI

    Murgia, Madhumita,
    A riveting, global investigation into the human cost of the AI revolution. Through the voices of people across the world, Code Dependent reveals how automated systems can both help and exploit us. It is an essential read for anyone concerned about…
    Book, 2024New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2024.
  • Superagency

    What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future

    Hoffman, ReidBeato, Greg
    While many books focus on what could go wrong, Superagency asks: what could go right? Hoffman and Beato explore how AI could accelerate breakthroughs in medicine, education, and social equality. Instead of viewing the future with fear, this book…
    eBook, 2025Authors Equity, 2025
  • Generative AI and Libraries

    Claiming Our Place in the Center of a Shared Future

    Hanegan, Michael,
    Beyond the books: why libraries are the secret weapon in the AI era. This practical guide shows how libraries of all kinds are evolving to help us master AI literacy and navigate the complex ethics of new technology. It’s an essential look at how…
    Book, 2025Chicago : ALA Editions in collaboration with Core, [2025]