The Fourth Intelligence Revolution: The Future of Espionage and the Battle to Save America

by Anthony Vinci

A former senior intelligence officer reveals how our espionage practices are being transformed by a new global intelligence conflict, driven by AI and competition with China, and how ordinary Americans can play their part in defending our way of life.

The new global intelligence competition has brought espionage into our workplaces and our living rooms. Adversaries like China, Iran, and Russia have realized that everyday people are targets because we work at companies that supply our industrial base or vote for our leaders. As a result, they target all of us – stealing our financial data and medical records, eavesdropping on our conversations, and using platforms like TikTok and Hollywood movies to influence our opinions and votes.

The Fourth Intelligence Revolution reveals how the swashbuckling adventures of World War II, the spy-versus-spy confrontations of the Cold War, and the “find-fix-and-finish” counterterrorism missions after 9/11 have given way to the most dangerous period of espionage yet. This eye-opening account exposes how intelligence now permeates every corner of society, from economic espionage and biological intelligence to information operations targeting children through online education - even extending to reconnaissance on the far side of the moon. At the same time, it reveals how AI and autonomous technologies are revolutionizing the field, driving us toward a future where most intelligence will be created by machines, for machines.

The Fourth Intelligence Revolution serves as both a warning and a call to action, highlighting the dangers of these emerging threats and the risks of mismanaging this revolution. Yet it also offers hope, demonstrating how we can seize this pivotal moment to reinvent espionage in a way that is more ethical, transparent and democratized. In its boldest argument, the book suggests that we are all, in essence, becoming intelligence officers and that citizens have both the power and responsibility to reclaim intelligence missions to safeguard and strengthen our democracy.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Technology, Audiobook, Artificial Intelligence, China, Politics

352 pages, Hardcover

Published October 28, 2025

Reviews

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

long story short the future is AI, shocker.

NetGalley ARC

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received a paperback ARC of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Really opened my eyes to just how much is going on across the world, and how complicated it is, which can be tricky to keep up with in our busy day-to-day lives. I enjoyed the historical aspects of this work in particular, as it helped ground readers in time and space, which I found useful when discussing more abstract concepts such as intelligence, espionage, etc. Some of the suggestions in this book are solid but difficult to image given our current administration’s love and perpetuation of disinformation, not to mention cozying up to any and all foreign influences that show deference. I’m also hesitant to agree with the rise of AI as detailed here and other places; don’t get me wrong, it’s powerful now and its future is ever more so, but there are some serious shortcomings that can’t be forgotten (and that render it less powerful in some ways than we might initially think). Overall, a thoroughly detailed book that is sure to spark further conversations.

[Tawney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle is "The Future of Espionage and the Battle to Save America" which gives a succinct perspective on Anthony Vinci's stance. As he explains, having information removes uncertainty, so governments have always worked to obtain information on other governments. Today there is such a flood of easily obtained information about everything and everyone that AI is the only way to make all that data useful. It's the ways that those bits and pieces can be used - now and in the near future - that are unsettling, even creepy. It's especially true when it's being used by an adversarial country. Vinci has plenty of thoughts on what's needed to protect our democracy. They involve AI, but also structural changes to the Intelligence Community, and education of our children and ourselves. Vinci obviously feels an urgency about this and it edges toward preachiness without losing it's importance. I did find some of his solutions quite idealistic, but a starting point for conversations on what needs to be done. Overall this is an important book. What it says about the consequences of your lack of privacy should be made known to all.

I received a digital advanced copy compliments of Henry Holt and NetGalley.

[Yari · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fourth Intelligence Revolution: The Future of Espionage and the Battle to Save America by Anthony Vinci (book cover is in image) is a great account of the evolution of espionage and how everyone has now become part of the intelligence apparatus through our use of technology and data processing through AI. It make the reader reexamine how they are using technology and how their data is being used.

The narration by Corey Snow was very well done, and I look forward to listening to more narrations from him.

Thank you @macmillan.audio, @henryholtbooks, and @netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Pub Date: Oct 28 2025
Rating: 4 Stars

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[Thomas Lennek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from Goodreads. Don't miss this if y0u want to know where military, business and political intelligence is going. Author Dr. Anthony Vinci's intelligence career spans from "boots on the ground" in the desert to leading a satellite data collection agency. He traces the origins of American military intelligence collection and analysis efforts, the development of professional agencies and finally the rise of machines. He provides specific examples to support his assertion that we, the American public, are the ultimate target of our international competitors/adversaries. You will never look at TikTok, a Huawei phone, or facial recognition camera the same way again.

[Mh Weyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, this was DNF for me.

It was very different from what I expected. More the history of intelligence than the future of intelligence. Maybe because I only made it 40% through but would have expected to get further in the first half of the book, rather than a history lesson.

I did find the modern intelligence gathering of the Chinese as expected but with more details than I had previously known.

But I find the authors conclusion that we should give away our info and privacy rights to entities to make the world safer a bit of a joke. No guarantee it’s going to be used ethically there either. Lots of liberal leaning and a bit of a shock since the author definitely has seen abuse after abuse firsthand with ai.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written discussion on how Intelligence must change as a result of today's technology. Each chapter flows directly to the next with each chapter being a specific intelligence type. The author discusses not just government and large business' role in the chaging intelligence world but also provide information on how, every day people can, and should have an active role in intelligence and protecting their freedom.
I do, however, have to say it could have had a title that better defined it.
I highly recommend the book to anyone curious about intelligence, wondering what role technology has today, or even those conspiracy theorist out there

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

In some ways this felt alarmist and overblown, but, at the same time, Vinci argues convincingly and with authority the stakes of modern spying along with the potential solutions. He takes the audience through the other "revolutions" in intelligence/spy-craft to the emerging more sinister-seeming influence and AI-driven personal ways of gathering and disseminating "intelligence" for major world players.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read for those of us interested in the emerging threats to our personal data. It is eye-opening and frankly very concerning.

I received an ARC from Goodreads.

[saranimals · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a frightening reality. Many would choose to ignore the problem, for the comfort it brings. Kudos to this author for the boldness to not only name the problem in straightforward terms, but also for providing the framework to move forward.