The Intelligence Explosion: When AI Beats Humans at Everything

by James Barrat Narrated by James Barrat

Overview

With the rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence, both existential fears and uncritical enthusiasm for AI systems have surged. In this era of unprecedented technological growth, understanding the profound impacts of AI-both positive and negative-is more crucial than ever. This program is read by the author.

In The Intelligence Explosion, James Barrat, a leading technology expert, equips listeners with the tools to navigate the complex and often chaotic landscape of modern AI. This compelling audiobook dives deep into the challenges posed by generative AI, exposing how tech companies have built systems that are both error-prone and impossible to fully interpret.

Through insightful interviews with AI pioneers, Barrat highlights the unstable trajectory of AI development, showcasing its potential for modest benefits and catastrophic consequences. Bold, eye-opening, and essential, The Intelligence Explosion is a must-read for anyone grappling with the realities of the technological revolution.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for The Intelligence Explosion

"This thought-provoking introduction will add context for those seeking to understand AI’s darker potential. A gripping, unsettling critique of artificial intelligence carries a stark warning: control or be controlled."

- Kirkus Reviews

"Will the upcoming intelligence explosion be the best or worst thing ever to happen to humanity, and how can we tip the balance? This riveting page-turner by a seasoned tech journalist is packed with exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, and masterfully elucidates the double-edged potential of humanity's greatest gamble."

- Dr. Max Tegmark, author of Life 3.0 and Our Mathematical Universe

"AGI maybe years or even decades (and not just months) away, but James Barrat is right; we are not prepared. And as Barrat says here, in The Intelligence Explosion, 'generative AI carries risks that are unlike anything we’ve faced before.' The time to act is now."

- Dr. Gary Marcus, NYU Professor Emeritus, and author of Taming Silicon Valley

"James Barrat pulls no punches in his powerful new book The Intelligence Explosion. He deftly explores the many perspectives on the AI tsunami about to crash into humanity. I believe there are solutions to the problems he describes and I am hopeful his book will help wake up us all to the urgency of taking action. Read the book and share it for the good of humankind, but keep your support network close as it can be quite disturbing."

- Steve Omohundro, Founder and Ceo at Possibility Research, and Chief Scientist at AI Brain

"A great tension exists currently where people in AI or AGI labs understand that they are putting the rest of society at risk, yet the rest of society doesn’t realize what is going on. James Barrat's work is important to help address this great disequilibrium."

— Jaan Tallinn, founding engineer of Skype and Kazaa and a co-founder of the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Existential Risk and the Future of Life Institute

"With snappy writing and entertaining anecdotes, The Intelligence Explosion unpacks the powerful cultural narrative that advanced AI poses an existential risk to humanity’s continued dominion over our fragile planet. James Barrat is among those whose investigations lead him to conclude that the threat is real, and to date attempts to control or ensure advanced AI will be safe and benign have yielded no fruit."

— Wendell Wallach, author of A Dangerous Master

“James Barrat’s The Intelligence Explosion offers a comprehensive examination of the potential for recursive self-improvement in artificial intelligence systems. The book methodically outlines scenarios in which AI systems could rapidly exceed human cognitive capacities through iterative enhancements, presenting detailed analyses of the technical challenges and risks associated with such developments. From my perspective as an AI safety researcher, the work provides a rigorous and systematic assessment of both the transformative potential and the significant safety concerns inherent in the pursuit of advanced AI technologies.”

- Professor Roman Yampolskiy, author of AI: Unexplainable, Unpredictable, Uncontrollable

"When the machines outthink us, will they outmaneuver us? Barrat's Intelligence Explosion is a wake-up call we can't afford to ignore."

-Adam A. Ford, Futurologist, Data Architect, M.IT

“Is Big Tech gradually automating away all our jobs? And once we add nothing to the GDP will our AI and human overlords conclude we are a pointless waste of resources? James Barrat’s The Intelligence Explosion makes well-argued cases for both of these outcomes, while drawing solutions from a minority of AI scientists who are trying to think us out of a totalitarian takeover, and maybe worse. Barrat lays the groundwork for thinking about these and related AI conundrums. Along the way he reveals aspects of AI luminaries such as Alan Turing, IJ Good, and Frank Rosenblatt, that rarely see the light of day."

- Remmelt Ellen, AI Safety Research Coordinator and author of Artificial Bodies

Kirkus Reviews

2025-05-15
If we let AI take the wheel, will it drive humanity to extinction?

The development of increasingly powerful AI systems may be steering humanity toward an existential crisis, says Barrat, an author and documentary filmmaker. Drawing from history, expert commentary, and industry analysis, Barrat proposes thinking in terms of an “intelligence explosion”—in which AIs rapidly self-improve, eventually outpacing human intelligence and slipping out of our control. Rather than a far-fetched dystopia, Barrat evokes an urgent threat, propelled by fierce competition between major tech companies like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. These corporations, he argues, have released unpredictable generative AI models and are racing to create artificial general intelligence (AGI) without fully understanding or addressing the risks. The result, according to Barrat and the experts he cites, will likely be catastrophic. One chilling comparison equates releasing open-source code to publishing plans for a nuclear bomb. Another AI expert envisions rogue data centers developing unchecked AI systems that must be destroyed to protect humanity. Despite the urgency of his tone, Barrat notes that AI does offer tangible benefits for medicine, robotics, and scientific research. From protein folding to factory automation, current AIs already surpass human performance in many specialized domains. But the book’s core concern remains the lack of safeguards, AI’s unpredictable emergent properties, and our present inability to align superintelligent systems with human values. Barrat’s argument is passionate and unapologetically skeptical of industry motivations. His plentiful notes make the book a valuable resource for readers looking to explore the topic further. This volume will satisfy those wondering why many respected researchers are sounding the alarm about AI, fearing a risky, high-stakes choose-your-own-adventure game where black-box models replace human decision-making. Barrat offers some hope, but he warns that smart AIs won’t stay confined to computers for long. Agree or disagree, this thought-provoking introduction will add context for those seeking to understand AI’s darker potential.

A gripping, unsettling critique of artificial intelligence carries a stark warning: control or be controlled.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940191213590
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	09/02/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged