Here are 100 books that The Proving Ground fans have personally recommended if you like The Proving Ground. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Strategic Communication and AI: Public Relations with Intelligent User Interfaces

Anne Gregory and Paul Willis Author Of Strategic Public Relations Leadership

From my list on making a difference in public relations.

Why are we passionate about this?

We’ve had the privilege to be part of a profession that has developed beyond all recognition. Both of us worked in senior public relations roles and know how difficult leadership can be in this context. A desire to combine what we’d learned with the best research resulted in us becoming professors in a university business school. Our aim is to provide a bridge between practice and academia, an ambition that has led us to work with inspiring practitioners and researchers around the world. We’ve had a great time and as you’ll see from our ‘book picks’ we draw on many perspectives to inform our work as authors, educators, and researchers. 

Anne and Paul's book list on making a difference in public relations

Anne Gregory and Paul Willis Why Anne and Paul loves this book

Here we are in the world of the metaverse. So many public relations books are about what the practice looks like now. This one is different. It’s inviting us to look at what the world will look like when just about everything is infused with AI and total sensory immersion is commonplace. It invites us to look at how public relations can harness these technologies and the power they will give us to develop incredible knowledge about people, build deep relationships and emotional connections. If so inclined, we could manipulate people without them even knowing it. For me this was a wake-up call to the profession. We can’t just be seduced by the shiny tools of technology, but need to step back and reflect on their ethical implications.

By Simon Moore , Roland Hübscher ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

This concise text provides an accessible introduction to artificial intelligence and intelligent user interfaces (IUIs) and how they are at the heart of a communication revolution for strategic communications and public relations.

IUIs are where users and technology meet - via computers, phones, robots, public displays, etc. They use AI and machine learning methods to control how those systems interact, exchange data, learn from, and develop relations with users. The authors explore research and developments that are already changing human/machine engagement in a wide range of areas from consumer goods, healthcare, and entertainment to community relations, crisis management, and activism.…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Steve Brown Author Of The Innovation Ultimatum: How Six Strategic Technologies Will Reshape Every Business in the 2020s

From my list on feed your curiosity on AI.

Why am I passionate about this?

Since I was a little boy, I’ve been passionate about technology and its potential to help people. After 25 years working in high tech, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence with a career spanning Intel, Google DeepMind, and a few successful startups I co-founded, I’ve pivoted to helping people, particularly leaders, understand how AI will transform business, education, and society, and how they can use AI to create new value and solve problems for people. AI is about to change everything about everything, and these books will help readers understand what’s coming and prepare themselves for humanity’s journey into an age of abundant intelligence.

Steve's book list on feed your curiosity on AI

Steve Brown Why Steve loves this book

This book invites the reader to consider whether AI is a new form of life, how it differs from other forms of life, and what might come next.

Anyone who wants to expand their thinking on AI's future potential and what it will mean for humanity should pick up a copy.

By Max Tegmark ,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Life 3.0 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'This is the most important conversation of our time, and Tegmark's thought-provoking book will help you join it' Stephen Hawking

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER. DAILY TELEGRAPH AND THE TIMES BOOKS OF THE YEAR
SELECTED AS ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVOURITE BOOKS OF 2018

AI is the future - but what will that future look like? Will superhuman intelligence be our slave, or become our god?

Taking us to the heart of the latest thinking about AI, Max Tegmark, the MIT professor whose work has helped mainstream research on how to keep AI beneficial, separates myths from reality, utopias from dystopias, to…


Book cover of Gateway

Jan Byron Strogh Author Of Act of God: In the Beginning

From my list on prescient scifi about artificial intelligence.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a graduate in computer science and electronics, I have had a successful career in the tech sector. I am interested in writing about the pattern of evolution that manifests in both humanity and machines. My books are based on science and contemplate the long history of human spirituality and how the two must someday converge.

Jan's book list on prescient scifi about artificial intelligence

Jan Byron Strogh Why Jan loves this book

This book presents a not-uncommon theme of humans discovering wondrous alien technology. But rather than this technology being sequestered in top secret labs or carefully reverse-engineered, it is given to risk-takers and thrill seekers for the promise of riches.

I love the way Pohl builds his characters, both human and non-human. Set in a vastly overpopulated Earth, humans remain plagued by poverty, national barriers, class distinctions, and the full gamut of the best and the worst we have to offer. 

The gateway series offers two unique views of artificial intelligence. 

Early in the series, the story takes a deep dive into the actual psychology of the protagonist through an artificial intelligence therapist. It's easy to simply enjoy this subplot, but this theme deserves a good, hard look. Our world is rife with mental issues that range from personal questions to dangerous pathology. Human expertise and resources are inadequate to meet…

By Frederik Pohl ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Gateway as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One of the very best must-read SF novels of all time

Wealth ... or death. Those were the choices Gateway offered. Humans had discovered this artificial spaceport, full of working interstellar ships left behind by the mysterious, vanished Heechee.

Their destinations are preprogrammed. They are easy to operate, but impossible to control. Some came back with discoveries which made their intrepid pilots rich; others returned with their remains barely identifiable. It was the ultimate game of Russian roulette, but in this resource-starved future there was no shortage of desperate volunteers.


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of The Alignment Problem: Machine Learning and Human Values

Muhammad Atique Author Of Algorithmic Saga

From my list on understanding how artificial intelligence is changing culture, society, and human interaction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have spent over a decade studying and teaching digital media, communication, and technology policy, while also working in journalism and media production. My passion for this topic comes from watching how technology quietly reshapes everyday life, from how people form relationships to how societies govern themselves. I am fascinated by the space where media, culture, and human behavior intersect, especially when change feels invisible but profound. Writing and reading about AI helps me make sense of these transformations, and I care deeply about helping people remain thoughtful, ethical, and human in an increasingly algorithmic world.

Muhammad's book list on understanding how artificial intelligence is changing culture, society, and human interaction

Muhammad Atique Why Muhammad loves this book

I was fascinated by how this book explains the "glitches" in AI as reflections of our own human flaws. 

It made me look at my own biases in a whole new way. I love how the author tells stories about the history of technology to show why it is so hard to teach a machine what humans actually value.

Even though the topic sounds technical, I found the writing very conversational and gripping. It felt like reading a detective story where the "mystery" is our own morality. It left me thinking deeply about what it really means to be a "good" person in a world where machines are learning from us and sometime ask us are you human?

By Brian Christian ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Alignment Problem as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Today's "machine-learning" systems, trained by data, are so effective that we've invited them to see and hear for us-and to make decisions on our behalf. But alarm bells are ringing. Recent years have seen an eruption of concern as the field of machine learning advances. When the systems we attempt to teach will not, in the end, do what we want or what we expect, ethical and potentially existential risks emerge. Researchers call this the alignment problem.

Systems cull resumes until, years later, we discover that they have inherent gender biases. Algorithms decide bail and parole-and appear to assess Black…


Book cover of Generative Deep Learning: Teaching Machines to Paint, Write, Compose and Play

Martin Musiol Author Of Generative AI: Navigating the Course to the Artificial General Intelligence Future

From my list on future-proof yourself for the AI era.

Why am I passionate about this?

My passion for generative AI first ignited in 2016 when I spoke about it at a conference, and ever since then, I can’t stop! I've created an online course, a newsletter and even wrote a book to spread knowledge on this groundbreaking technology. As an instructor, I empower others to explore the boundless potential of generative AI applications. Day in day out, I assist clients in crafting their own generative AI solutions, tailoring them to their unique needs.

Martin's book list on future-proof yourself for the AI era

Martin Musiol Why Martin loves this book

While it’s not the newest tech, I love that it covers the essential groundwork that sparked the modern AI revolution. I personally think its perfect for engineers and data scientists. It's also a great precursor to my book, giving you the strong foundation you need before diving into the next wave of AI advancements.

By David Foster ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Generative modeling is one of the hottest topics in AI. It's now possible to teach a machine to excel at human endeavors such as painting, writing, and composing music. With this practical book, machine-learning engineers and data scientists will discover how to re-create some of the most impressive examples of generative deep learning models, such as variational autoencoders,generative adversarial networks (GANs), encoder-decoder models and world models.

Author David Foster demonstrates the inner workings of each technique, starting with the basics of deep learning before advancing to some of the most cutting-edge algorithms in the field. Through tips and tricks, you'll…


Book cover of The A.I. Job

John Priest Author Of i4Ni

From my list on AI that show science fiction is quickly becoming science fact.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was raised in a large family, and we were taught to be respectful, honest, and polite to everyone. I've never been able to understand the mind of a 'nasty' person or how a person can hurt another. When these people are brought to justice, how can we know they are telling the truth?

Expanding on this, I started thinking about Artificial Intelligencecould this be the creation that gives us the way to see into a person's mind; to find out what crime they have committed? But then I thought, what if the actual creator was a criminal? How would anyone even know? That was the route of my research which led to i4Ni being written.

John's book list on AI that show science fiction is quickly becoming science fact

John Priest Why John loves this book

If you are a mature person with English as their second language and would like to read this type of fiction in an easier to read format, then this is a fantastic book for you.

As a former teacher/trainer in ESOL and beginner maths, I am impressed that this author has used current creative thoughts on AI and modern technological ideas, rather than the older books, which will possibly contain outdated themes in the future.

It starts with Josie attending a building where she doesn't see any people. 

She requested an interview, but doesn't see one living person. A robotic voice informs her she has been successful and gets the job, but she hadn't even had an interview? Josie is told that her success was based on her personal information that was collected from all over, AI had gleaned all of her computing personal information taken from everywhere possible.

Josie…

By Jason Hogan ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The A.I. Job as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the first hour of her new job in Melbourne, Josie is chased, shot at, and almost blown up, and all before breakfast.Why are people trying to kill her?What is so important about the package?And who are the rival organisations stopping at nothing to get what they want?Drawn into the invisible world of agents against startups and A.I.s, Josie soon discovers that things are not always what they seem. Not only is Melbourne in trouble, but the entire planet might be in danger.And she has no idea how she is going to save it.---The ESL Fiction series has been developed…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of All-in On AI: How Smart Companies Win Big with Artificial Intelligence

Roger W. Hoerl Author Of Statistical Thinking: Improving Business Performance

From my list on AI and data science that are actually readable.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a professional statistician, I am naturally interested in AI and data science. However, in our current information age, everyone, in all segments of society, needs to understand the basics of AI and data science. These basics include such things as what these disciplines are, what they can contribute to society, and perhaps most importantly, what can go wrong. However, I have found that much of the literature on these topics is highly technical and beyond the reach of most readers. These books are specifically selected because they are readable by virtually everyone, and yet convey the key concepts needed to be data-literate in the 21st century. Enjoy!

Roger's book list on AI and data science that are actually readable

Roger W. Hoerl Why Roger loves this book

Books on AI often go to extremes, either promoting it as the solution to all the world’s problems, or depicting it as an evil that will destroy humanity.

This book is much more practical, and based on experience using AI in actual business applications. It is the result of considerable research, involving investigation of applications not only in silicon-valley, but from various business sectors, such as Airbus, Ping, Progressive Insurance, and Capital One Bank.

Don’t let the title fool you; this book is not simply a promotion of AI, but addresses the practical issues that have to be considered if success is to be achieved. For example, they argue that “the most important aspect in AI success is not machinery, but human leadership, behavior, and change.”

By Thomas H. Davenport , Nitin Mittal ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked All-in On AI as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A Wall Street Journal bestseller

A Publisher's Weekly bestseller

A fascinating look at the trailblazing companies using artificial intelligence to create new competitive advantage, from the author of the business classic, Competing on Analytics, and the head of Deloitte's US AI practice.

Though most organizations are placing modest bets on artificial intelligence, there is a world-class group of companies that are going all-in on the technology and radically transforming their products, processes, strategies, customer relationships, and cultures.

Though these organizations represent less than 1 percent of large companies, they are all high performers in their industries. They have better business…


Book cover of Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World

Charles C. Snow Author Of Collaborative Entrepreneurship: How Communities of Networked Firms Use Continuous Innovation to Create Economic Wealth

From my list on collaborative innovation.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was a business school professor for 38 years, always fascinated by how organizations could (or couldn’t) adapt to their changing environments. Over the course of my career, I observed and studied how organizations sought to adapt to major disrupting forces such as new information-processing technologies, internationalization, downsizing, new organizational forms, digitization, and artificial intelligence. Today’s global business environment is complex, dynamic, and highly interconnected. The only way to adapt is through collaboration–organizations must be able to quickly respond to any environmental change by identifying appropriate resources wherever they may exist and efficiently marshaling them into a desired response and eventual solution. In competitive terms, this is called a “relational advantage.” 

Charles' book list on collaborative innovation

Charles C. Snow Why Charles loves this book

Nothing in the past few years has disrupted the operations of business firms more than artificial intelligence. This book marks the age of AI with the emergence of a business environment shaped by digital networks, analytics, and artificial intelligence. It gives a credible account of how fast-moving digital firms in many sectors are disrupting traditional firms and upending the existing rules of business.

I love how this book gives examples of digital firms we’ve all heard of–Netflix, YouTube, Airbnb, etc.–and clearly explains how these firms rapidly achieve scale and become strong competitors. AI is becoming increasingly impactful, and all firms must learn how to use AI if they want to remain competitive.

By Marco Iansiti , Karim R. Lakhani ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Competing in the Age of AI as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"a provocative new book" -- The New York Times

AI-centric organizations exhibit a new operating architecture, redefining how they create, capture, share, and deliver value.

Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani show how reinventing the firm around data, analytics, and AI removes traditional constraints on scale, scope, and learning that have restricted business growth for hundreds of years. From Airbnb to Ant Financial, Microsoft to Amazon, research shows how AI-driven processes are vastly more scalable than traditional processes, allow massive scope increase, enabling companies to straddle industry boundaries, and create powerful opportunities for learning--to drive ever more accurate, complex, and…


Book cover of A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence: What It Is, Where We Are, and Where We Are Going

Ron Kneusel Author Of How AI Works: From Sorcery to Science

From my list on the background and foundation of AI.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child of the microcomputer revolution in the late 1970s, I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of a general-purpose machine that I could control. The deep learning revolution of 2010 or so, followed most recently by the advent of large language models like ChatGPT, has completely altered the landscape. It is now difficult to interpret the behavior of these systems in a way that doesn’t argue for intelligence of some kind. I’m passionate about AI because, decades after the initial heady claims made in the 1950s, AI has reached a point where the lofty promise is genuinely beginning to be kept. And we’re just getting started.

Ron's book list on the background and foundation of AI

Ron Kneusel Why Ron loves this book

Woolridge presents the history of artificial intelligence from the point of view of an insider. This book is one of the few accounts of AI history presenting a measured perspective, one that has weathered more than one boom and bust cycle.

The book is nicely complemented by his recent series of lectures, which can be easily found on YouTube. I read Woolridge as saying, “Yes, something new has happened with the advent of large language models, but much work remains.”

By Michael Wooldridge ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

From Oxford's leading AI researcher comes a fun and accessible tour through the history and future of one of the most cutting edge and misunderstood field in science: Artificial Intelligence

The somewhat ill-defined long-term aim of AI is to build machines that are conscious, self-aware, and sentient; machines capable of the kind of intelligent autonomous action that currently only people are capable of. As an AI researcher with 25 years of experience, professor Mike Wooldridge has learned to be obsessively cautious about such claims, while still promoting an intense optimism about the future of the field. There have been genuine…


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Book cover of Old Man Country

Old Man Country by Thomas R. Cole,

This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.

In these and other intimate conversations, the book…

Book cover of Artificial You

Mark Bailey Author Of Unknowable Minds

From my list on AI, philosophy, and the future.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been drawn to science books that ask the big questions - about the universe, humanity, and the challenges we face. As a kid, I would spend hours reading about the mysteries of space, technology, and philosophy, captivated by the way these fields intersect. My fascination with AI and complex systems deepened during my time in the Army, where I began to see how technology could shape global security in profound and often unpredictable ways. Today, I explore these ideas as a researcher and educator, focusing on the risks and ethical dilemmas of AI and autonomous systems. I hope the books on this list spark your curiosity.

Mark's book list on AI, philosophy, and the future

Mark Bailey Why Mark loves this book

Susan Schneider’s exploration of AI and consciousness raises profound questions about what it means to be human in a future shaped by intelligent machines.

I’m especially drawn to her thoughtful analysis of the possibility of mind-uploading, AI consciousness, and the ethical implications of merging human and machine intelligence. Her work ties directly to themes that I like to explore in my writing. Schneider and I both grapple with the unknowns of delegating decision-making to AI, particularly in high-stakes realms like warfare.

By Susan Schneider ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Hailed by the Washington Post as "a sure-footed and witty guide to slippery ethical terrain," a philosophical exploration of AI and the future of the mind that Astronomer Royal Martin Rees calls "profound and entertaining"

Humans may not be Earth's most intelligent beings for much longer: the world champions of chess, Go, and Jeopardy! are now all AIs. Given the rapid pace of progress in AI, many predict that it could advance to human-level intelligence within the next several decades. From there, it could quickly outpace human intelligence. What do these developments mean for the future of the mind?

In…


Book cover of Strategic Communication and AI: Public Relations with Intelligent User Interfaces
Book cover of Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Book cover of Gateway

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