THINKING
WITH
MACHINES
The Brave New World of AI
Authored by Vasant Dhar
- Available on November 18th
“In a sea of books about AI, this is the first one to read, whether you’re new to the
game or a seasoned veteran.”
Sinan Aral David Austin Distinguished Professor of Technology and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
THINKING WITH MACHINES:
THE BRAVE NEW WORLD OF AI
Finally, a balanced book about a critical balance. What’s the balance? Between the awesome potential and the horrific perils of AI. And what’s the book? Thinking With Machines, by Vasant Dhar, distinguished Professor of Data Science at NYU’s Stern School of Business, and a veteran of all AI’s developments, from its halting beginnings to its “every-day-an-astonishment” present.
Neither advocate nor alarmist, Dhar — a “pracademic” whose tech transformed Wall Street — provides a critical compass to navigate AI’s unknown terrain ahead. One thing, however, is known: we will be “thinking with machines” because… we already are.
Visit an orthopedist and the first “eyes” reading your X-rays are likely digital. Apply for a job and you’ll have to ace the algorithms before you get a call. And in a clinic in Mexico, robots are performing IVF because their metallic arms are steadier than human hands.
The question is: what now happens to human minds? And it is here that Dhar is at his most informed and incisive. Among the questions he engages (custom lists on request) are:
• Individually and collectively, will AI make us smarter or dumber?
• Will AI bifurcate our species into superhumans who leverage it to reach new heights and those who become passive consumers of AI?
• Should educators control their students’ use of AI?
• How should business leaders transform their organizations into AI savvy enterprises?
• What policies should lawmakers craft regarding restrictions, obligations, and rights of AI?
• And as AI grows increasingly autonomous, will it govern us or will we all govern it? And if the latter, precisely how, and by whom, will that governance be established?
The truth is no one knows, but everyone agrees we’re at a pivot point. And pivot points require guides. And that guide is Professor Vasant Dhar. He may not have all the answers, but Thinking With Machines will change the conversation: about technology, about intelligence… about ourselves.
If ever there was a book for its moment, this is it.
Meet Vasant Dhar
ONE OF THE OG’s OF AI
Vasant Dhar, a distinguished professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business and the Center for Data Science at New York University, has crafted an essential guidebook for navigating our rapidly evolving AI landscape with his forthcoming book, Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI.
Drawing from over four decades of research and insights from his “Brave New World” podcast and newsletter, as well as his practical experience bringing machine learning to Wall Street in the early ’90s, Dhar offers readers an authentic and comprehensive understanding of this transformative technology, with a balanced approach to AI’s promise and peril.
Sometimes referred to as one of the OGs of AI, Dhar tells his story and the lessons that it reveals as readers learn about AI’s progress and reversals, its promises and dangers, and what we need to address before the machine gets away from us.
Praise for Thinking With Machines
“ Clear, urgent, and deeply human. Dhar’s personal journey through AI makes Thinking With Machines feel less like science fiction and more like a mirror — helping us reflect on trust, resilience, and what it means to stay grounded in a world racing ahead. ”
David KoCEO, Calm
“ At last, a book by one of the world’s leading AI researchers and practitioners that is both cutting edge and easy to read. Part history of the field, part handbook for the non-expert, part AI governance manifesto, and part author’s life journey, Thinking With Machines is indispensable reading for professionals, policymakers, and concerned citizens grappling with the paradigm shift of our times. ”
Paul SheardEconomist and Author of The Power of Money
“ In a world of wannabe AI experts, Vasant Dhar shines as someone who has played the long game, through successive AI hype cycles and winters. In this remarkable book, he provides a calm and reasoned way for us to decipher the world of AI and a playbook for dealing with the most important innovation of our time. ”
Nandan NilekaniCo-founder and Chairman, Infosys, and Founding Chairman UIDAI (Aadhaar)
“ In a world filled with AI experts who alternate between relentless hype and imminent doom, Vasant stands out as someone who sees shades of gray in this debate, and has the expertise and good sense to gauge AI’s strengths and limits. I strongly recommend his new book, Thinking With Machines, to everyone who is involved or interested in how AI will change the way we live and work, as I think it will. ”
Aswath DamodaranNYU Professor and Valuation Guru
“ Vasant Dhar has a unique perspective: building trading algorithms that compound tiny edges into fortunes, then watching AI evolve from narrow applications to a general-purpose technology. In Thinking With Machines, he reveals when to trust algorithms, when to stay skeptical, and how to govern AI before it governs us. A must-read for our AI-powered future. ”
Erik BrynjolfssonProfessor at Stanford University and Co-founder of Workhelix, Inc.
“ A crisp, insightful and entertaining journey from AI’s origins to its many possible futures. Dhar’s account is both deeply personal and intellectually deep, from an AI expert who’s been there from the beginning and has a clear vision of the future. Clear, surprising, and deeply human, this is the rare AI book that makes the future feel personal—and impossible to ignore. In a sea of books about AI, this is the first one to read, whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned veteran. ”
Sinan AralDavid Austin Distinguished Professor of Technology and Management, MIT
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