Our fears about artificial general intelligence go deep. They touch on our very identity as thinking, feeling creatures, and on our place in the universe. Are we creating our own successor? And might this creation be a god?

In this vital contribution, leading researcher and author Professor Toby Walsh explores the existential risks posed by our accelerating efforts to realise an AI-powered future. While AI models are leading to the development of wondrous technologies such as potentially life-saving drugs, they are also disrupting the lives of millions across the globe by rapidly reshaping our relationships with work and with one another. But there are also clear risks that powerful AI threatens our very existence as a species.

In an increasingly fractured world, what happens when AI hits the singularity and gains the ability to recursively self-improve? Could we so fully outsource our own thinking to AI that we make ourselves obsolete? Could machines become so intelligent that it is game over for humanity?

With his typical lucidity and humour, Walsh explores the issues, evaluates the dangers and considers what we can do to can prevent AI harms before it is too late.

‘If you only read one book about what happens when machines get smarter than us, make it this one. This is the guide you want for the scariest journey in human history.’ —Dr Karl Kruszelnicki