Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit

by Henry Kissinger, Craig Mundie

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In his final book, the late Henry Kissinger joins forces with two leading technologists to mount “a profound exploration” (Walter Isaacson) of the epochal challenges and opportunities presented by the revolution in Artificial Intelligence: a breakthrough that dramatically empowers people in all walks of life while also raising urgent questions about the future of humanity.

As it absorbs data, gains agency, and intermediates between humans and reality, AI (Artificial Intelligence) will help us to address enormous crises, from climate change to geopolitical conflicts to income inequality. It might well solve some of the greatest mysteries of our universe and elevate the human spirit to unimaginable heights. But it will also pose challenges on a scale and of an intensity that we have never seen—usurping our power of independent judgment and action, testing our relationship with the divine, and perhaps even spurring a new phase in human evolution.

The last book of elder statesman Henry Kissinger, written with technologists Craig Mundie and Eric Schmidt, Genesis charts a course between blind faith and unjustified fear as it outlines an effective strategy for navigating the age of AI.

Genres: Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Nonfiction, Science, Business, Politics, History

288 pages, Hardcover

First published June 26, 2025

About the author

Henry Alfred Kissinger (born Heinz Alfred Kissinger) was a German-born American bureaucrat, diplomat, and 1973 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the Richard Nixon administration. Kissinger emerged unscathed from the Watergate scandal, and maintained his powerful position when Gerald Ford became President.

A proponent of Realpolitik, Kissinger played a dominant role in United States foreign policy between 1969 and 1977. During this period, he pioneered the policy of détente.

During his time in the Nixon and Ford administrations he cut a flamboyant figure, appearing at social occasions with many celebrities. His foreign policy record made him a nemesis to the anti-war left and the anti-communist right alike.

Reviews

[Vicky · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, this was a huge disappointment.

Except for the last chapter, it's mainly what I would call "armchair philosophy", where the authors focus on an undefined future and try to guess what changes and consequences AI will bring.

While most of the questions raised in the book are important, there are few to no ideas on how to proceed with them, only that we should think about them. Also, many assumptions are not explicit in the book or questioned enough. For example, the fact that AI research is done by mainly for-profit organisations, yet they make decisions that could impact humanity, is not really explored.

This book is largely a sci-fi-ish introduction to AI. I would recommend Feeding the Machine: The Hidden Human Labor Powering A.I. and Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI for those who are interested in the consequences of AI here and now, and what we should learn going forward.

[NadYa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I approached Genesis with high expectations, given the distinguished backgrounds of the authors, but I came away underwhelmed. While the book extends their thoughts on the intersection of AI, technology, and society, it struggles to make a coherent or tangible point. The discussions feel broad and abstract, lacking the depth or practical insights that could make this work truly impactful.

Rather than offering actionable takeaways or deep learning moments, Genesis meanders through ideas that, while occasionally interesting, don’t coalesce into a meaningful narrative. The prose sometimes reads like a collection of reflections rather than a structured argument or roadmap for understanding the future of AI.

If you’re looking for a book that dives into the ethics, technicalities, or concrete implications of AI, this one might leave you disappointed. Overall, I’d give it 2.5 stars—rounded up to three for the occasional intriguing thought, but largely a missed opportunity.

[Wendelle]

As others have noticed... there's a multitude of ideas in this book, it's earnest but meandering. It's more of a grab-bag of ideas and a catalogue of a range of possible futures, than any sharp cogitation of what is, what comes, and what we should do. This style might be the natural outgrowth of the activity of peering out to a vaporous nd uncertain ether of futures, instigated by a black box technology (or entity) with unbounded potential. This book is best read maybe as a set of ideas to ponder, paragraph by paragraph, each slowly considered with pen and paper in hand, which is not what I did at all. There's a lot of food for thought here that might need to be unpacked beyond a paragraph's worth of digressions.

[Garret Macko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another reviewer criticized this book for being "armchair philosophy." If anything, that should be a compliment when it comes to a book about AI.

What I mean by that is this: the technological landscape is changing so rapidly that books are probably not the proper medium through which to engage with technical aspects of the technology. I think books, however, are quite useful for exploring abstract, political, philosophical, and moral considerations surrounding AI. This one does well in that regard.

[Kyle Garner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very interesting in that it was more about posing than answering questions. The authors raise legitimate concerns that should or will need to be addressed by mankind. It’s both exciting and concerning. The real question is, can mankind agree on a set of rules that will dictate the direction of AI. I have my doubts.

[Tyler Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found Genesis to be a fairly balanced conversation between the excitement of a new intellectual frontier and the impending doom of reverting to a societal model where we take information from a singular source as universal truth. Throughout the discussion, the use of inclusive language like "we" and "our" are appropriately used to illuminate humanity's shared fate, but also grossly overlook that the affects of AI will not be evenly felt by all communities of people.

This book relies a lot on ideals of meritocracy that we, as nation-states, have adopted; however, evidence is clear that our meritocracy is flawed and relies heavily on a lottery of conditions for one to actually attain social mobility. Something "we, the authors," consisting of only older white men, who are also CEOs of private enterprises, have used to defend their status is this false dichotomy of meritocracy. The proof is in the pudding; with the highly academic language that is used in the creation of this book, these harbingers of what is to come are not meant to supply the common, working-class person with ideas to prepare themselves for this new era of information. In a counter-intuitive way, this book tacitly keeps the discussion about AI between those who already have seats at the table -- higher ups in both government and tech corporations.

This may serve as an excellent conversation-starter, and I hope it does as it's been employed in a book club for me, personally. I would caution any reader who picks this up to keep a highlighter and your most critical reading lenses at the ready to spots the (many) instances where, not earned but gifted, power and privilege by the authors find their way in between the lines of this text.

[João Pinho · Rating 1 out of 5]

Não tinha grandes espectativas que o Kissinger trouxesse uma perspectiva única e inovadora ao tópico da IA, mas o Eric Schmidt e o Craig Mundie? Tinha-os em melhor conta.

As únicas partes interessantes davam um blog post sobre política. E mesmo esse capítulo falha quando começam a inventar um futuro em que as decisões políticas ficariam a cargo de uma IA.
Tudo espremido não dá grande coisa. Autores completamente deslumbrados com a IA, usando metáforas e alegorias absurdas para justificar os seus pontos, sem os basear. Positam avenidas de evolução e traçam o futuro - trust me bro.

Concluindo, este livro é o que acontece quando se tenta transformar um par de ideias mal formadas, adicionar propaganda, marketing, "meritocracia" e wishful thinking. Tirando o fluff dava um pequeno artigo com algum interesse, mas numa obra de duzentas e muitas páginas? Um desperdício de papel.

[Tabularii Machinum · Rating 4 out of 5]

"While some may view this moment as humanity's final act, we perceive instead a new beginning. The cycle of creation—technological, biological, sociological, [and] political— is entering a new phase. That phase may operate under new paradigms of, among other things, logic, faith, and time. With sober optimism, may we meet its genesis."

The book suggests such a unique perspective. Unlike other books, this book does not discuss the potential for AI to replace human jobs, but instead seeks to explore the future comprehensively and macroscopically. It also used vivid examples from history and literature, such as the Age of Discovery and Nordic myths, to explain the ideas more clearly.

[Jackson Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genesis is the final book of the legendary statesmen Henry Kissinger. Along with Coauthors Craig Mundie and Eric Schmidt, this book brings to life the debates that Humans will need to come to agreement on about AI alignment. It also provides well substantiated inference on how AI will affect politics, military, and economies across the world.

After reading, I feel well equipped with thoughts about the future of AI and invigorated with ideas about the possibilities for the world we’re entering.

[Julie Pantiskas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book due to the highly talented authors. However, it fell short of my expectations and I felt the book meandered through history to much.

[Cherie Leanza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was challenging. A very deep dive on the technology of AI and the awe inspiring capabilities it will have, how it may impact our lives and the moral challenges humanity will face as it rapidly evolves. Enlightening and terrifying at the same time.

[Evelyn Petschek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hopeful and cautionary musing on AI. But disappointing, it really didn’t capture my attention. Published posthumously, with two collaborators. So so audio narration.

[Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. Almost covers too much, but very thought provoking (though it's probably most applicable to world leaders).

[Jim Beatty · Rating 5 out of 5]

12,500 warheads,
436 reactors

[Tim Bybee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much in the way of new content for anyone read up on AI. This is more of a overview of the wide ranging future impacts of AI specifically written for the general population.

[David Glanton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big names saying a lot of nothing. This book raises interesting questions and highlights the uncertainty in what changes will be spawned by AI especially in light of the need for technologists and political actors to make key decisions about how it is implemented and what safeguards are placed on its development and use, and how the wealth it generates may be controlled or shared. The only real conclusion of this book is that big changes are coming quickly and they are all but unavoidable at this point, and that hopefully the unknown relevant actors works quickly to take steps that will tend to promote good change.

[Mark Kliesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a marvelous book of important and urgent questions. It almost scrupulously avoids giving clear advice (do this not that, sort of thing) but it lays out what a good leader should consider. What does governance look like in a post-labor world? How must counterterrorism change in a world of increasingly dangerous bioweapons? Does our system of government work in this brave new world, at all?

Will society turn into a hedonistic hot house if we all don’t have to work? On this one, they actually provide an answer - and I love it, so I’ll tell you. They say “This, in our view, is a perspective of privilege…we already have a prototype of how people live when they can have what they want without working. We call them the rich and the retired.” I found that deeply insightful. It’s a question I’ve been thinking about. And that answer satisfies.

This book is smart and cogent and - considering the age of Mr. Kissinger (98 when they started writing this!) - extremely impressive. Delightfully old fashioned in its style, it’s sort of an old book for a new age.

Highly recommended.

[Clay Wescott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a sweeping and contemplative collaboration between one of the twentieth century’s most influential statesmen, Henry Kissinger, and two leading technology visionaries, Eric Schmidt and Craig Mundie. The book examines artificial intelligence not just as a technological revolution, but as a force with profound implications for human identity, governance, and morality.

The authors situate AI within the broader arc of human development, arguing that just as human intelligence has shaped civilizations, AI now stands to redefine the very foundations of society. They are keenly aware of AI’s potential to address global challenges-such as climate change and inequality-while also warning that it could intensify existing divisions, erode trust, and challenge human dignity and free will.

What sets Genesis apart is its refusal to adopt a simplistic stance. The authors balance hope and caution, advocating for proactive regulation, ethical design, and international cooperation. They stress that AI is not merely a technical issue, but a moral and existential one, requiring the engagement of policymakers, technologists, ethicists, and philosophers. Drawing on historical analogies like the nuclear age, they remind readers that humanity has faced transformative powers before, often underestimating their complexity.

The book’s philosophical depth is notable, raising questions about whether AI should evolve to resemble humans, or if humans should adapt to better integrate with AI. It explores the risks of AI generating its own “truths,” potentially challenging our concepts of reason and faith, and considers how AI might push humanity into a new phase of evolution. Yet, the authors remain grounded, emphasizing the practical necessity of global governance and shared standards to ensure AI serves humanity’s best interests.
Genesis is characterized by a blend of idealism and pragmatism, with Kissinger’s historical and diplomatic perspective lending weight to the discussion. The book ultimately calls for vigilance, warning that complacency or premature confidence in our understanding of AI could have dire consequences for human dignity and freedom.

The book explores how AI might transform our relationship with knowledge, truth, governance, and even spirituality. As AI systems become increasingly capable of absorbing vast amounts of data, gaining agency, and mediating our relationship with reality, the authors argue that we must develop new frameworks for understanding what it means to be human in this emerging era. The authors' attempt to explain this has strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths
• Philosophical Depth: The book excels in raising profound ethical and existential questions, such as AI’s impact on truth, autonomy, and human dignity.
• Geopolitical Insight: The analysis of AI’s role in shifting global power-particularly the tension between democratic and authoritarian uses-is compelling and timely.
• Call to Action: Rather than techno-utopianism or doomsaying, the authors urge careful stewardship and moral foresight.

Weaknesses
• Meandering Structure: Genesis often reads as a collection of loosely connected reflections rather than a cohesive argument or roadmap. The prose can be dense, abstract, and at times frustratingly vague, with philosophical digressions that may lose readers seeking actionable insights.
• Lack of Technical Depth: Those looking for a deep dive into AI’s technicalities or concrete policy recommendations may find the book lacking. Some claims about AI’s current capabilities are outdated or oversimplified.
• Optimism vs. Realism: The book sometimes entertains utopian scenarios-such as AI eliminating poverty and work-which critics find unconvincing or underdeveloped.

Towards the end, the authors address the urgent question of how to align artificial intelligence with the core values of human dignity. They argue that as AI systems become more autonomous and capable, the risk grows that these systems could make decisions that undermine human agency, privacy, and moral responsibility.

The authors propose a multi-pronged approach to alignment:
• Integrated Control Systems: They suggest designing AI architectures that embed human oversight and control at every level, ensuring that AI remains a tool for human benefit rather than an autonomous authority.
• Human Feedback Mechanisms: The book emphasizes the importance of reinforcement learning from human feedback, so that AI systems continuously adapt to human expectations and values.
• Legal and Ethical Frameworks: The authors call for robust legal and ethical standards to govern AI behavior, ensuring compliance with societal norms and protecting individual rights. They acknowledge the challenges of incorporating the range of different legal and ethical standards from different human societies.
• Continuous Adaptation: Recognizing that human values evolve, they advocate for AI systems that can learn and adapt over time, maintaining alignment as society changes.

They also highlight the need for international cooperation and dialogue among policymakers, technologists, and ethicists. The authors warn that the greatest danger lies in underestimating AI’s impact or assuming that alignment is a one-time technical fix. Instead, they argue, safeguarding human dignity in the age of AI will require ongoing vigilance, adaptability, and a commitment to shared human values.

[Alexandros · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not that engaging

[Peter McCluskey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genesis lends a bit of authority to concerns about AI.

It is a frustrating book. It took more effort for me read than it should have taken. The difficulty stems not from complex subject matter (although the topics are complex), but from a peculiarly alien writing style that transcends mere linguistic differences - though Kissinger's German intellectual heritage may play a role.

The book's opening meanders through historical vignettes whose relevance remains opaque, testing my patience before finally addressing AI.

Risks

When the book gets around to discussing how AI will affect our future, it's mostly correct about AI being a big deal, with occasionally appropriate hints about why there are big risks. But it's frustratingly abstract and vague. Some examples:

we might become extinct.

Would networking intelligences make their processes more opaque than the processes of lone intelligence? ... would we be able to assess them on a spectrum of good to evil? Or would they operate on an informational basis - extracted at superhuman speed ... - that would confound our ability to judge their behavior? Would that lead us further into a cycle of passivity?

Today, in the years, months, weeks, and days leading up to the arrival of the first superintelligence, a security dilemma of existential nature awaits.

I see hints in that quote that they think the threshold of superintelligence will be well enough defined that it can be attributed to a specific day. I find that suspicious.

Genesis compares our preparedness for AI to the preparedness of Aztecs for the arrival of conquistadors.

One area where the book briefly feels clear and novel is when it discusses the future of war, notably observing that humans may become less targeted simply because they'll be irrelevant to military outcomes.

The book provides only weak hints as to what considerations are important. It often feels like there's a missing mood - e.g. it's hard to tell whether the authors think human extinction would be a bigger deal than the end of democracy.

Present Day AI

The weakest parts of the book attempt to describe current AI. Too many of those claims look like claims that were discredited several years ago. It was published a year after Kissinger's death, so likely some of the problem is a long delay between when he wrote those parts and publication.

But there will be phases in the evolution of AI when mechanical intelligence may feel eerily similar to the intelligence of the animals.

I'd say that "prediction" was plausibly true of the best AIs for a brief time around 2021 or 2022. Now AIs seem more like human children.

Lately, AI researchers have devoted serious attention to the project of giving machines "groundedness" - a reliable relationship between the machine's representations and reality

This was true in 2022, but it has been increasingly treated as a solved problem since then.

Other Thoughts

Will we become more like them, or will they become more like us? ... Answering it remains our first and most necessary task.

The authors express cautious optimism about brain-computer interfaces facilitating human-AI symbiosis. That suggests either an overestimation of neural interface potential or an underestimation of AI's rapid advancement.

Under this definition, can AI itself possess dignity? Likely not - for AIs are not born, do not die, feel neither insecurity nor fear, and do not have natural inclinations or individuality such that conceptions of evil or good could be considered "theirs". ... they should be treated, philosophically, like literary characters.

This feels like a confused mix of half-assed morality and limited understanding of where AI is headed.

Genesis refers to Nick Bostrom and Eliezer Yudkowsky without criticizing them. Combined with Kissinger's reputation, that will cause some political and military leaders to take the risks of AI more seriously. That makes the book somewhat important.

People should read this book if they respect Kissinger's forecasts much more than they respect the forecasts of people connected with tech companies.

[Gary Moreau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, without a doubt, the most absorbing book I have read this year. And the topic couldn’t be more timely or relevant to all of us.

By way of housekeeping, the authors do not wander into the weeds of algorithms or the technical details of machine learning. The book is a conceptual analysis of the possible future of AIs relative to politics, security/warfare, prosperity, and science. That analysis, moreover, is thorough, incredibly insightful, and balanced. Few conclusions yet, for as the authors point out we are early in the journey. It is a journey, nonetheless, that is proceeding much faster than anyone expected.

I admit that before starting the book I was expecting both a more assured assessment of the future and a decidedly more anthropomorphistic take on the technology itself. I naturally lean the other way. While I am enthralled by quantum physics and quite comfortable in the world of advanced mathematics, I naturally bring a contrarian’s suspicion to most topics. While I understand and admire technology for what it is, I am inclined to believe, as Freud said, “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.”

Early in the book I thought the authors might prove me right. Not far into it, however, I realized I was decidedly mistaken. For authors who helped to shape, and were undoubtedly amply rewarded by, the tech revolution, I found them to be pleasantly balanced in their perspective. These are people who think deeply and conscientiously. There were hints at biased projection but that was ultimately brought back into a candid assessment of reality.

My concern about AI has been less about its promise, or its risk, than in who is controlling its development and deployment. For now, it is the owners of capital, not the citizenry, and I have come to question their motives. They will invest in developing that AI which promises the greatest return on capital, not that which propels the world forward.

In the forward, Niall Ferguson writes: “Technological advances can have both benign and malign consequences, depending on how we collectively decide to exploit them.” The problem is that “we” are deciding nothing when it comes to AI. That is all being decided by the owners of capital who may or may not share our collective values or even have our collective interests at heart. I fully expect that AI will release untold wealth. As it stands now, however, that wealth will accrue to a handful of people, not society at large.

One of the most promising fountains of wealth creation is the development of AI-empowered weapons systems that are designed to think independently of human overseers. That is happening today. There are already people working diligently to develop autonomous weapons systems before the world at large has developed comprehensive guidelines for the technology’s application. That, to me, is frightful.

I am particularly concerned because it has become commonplace, in our frenzied modern world, to oversimplify everything. The most relevant truth always exists in context and context is made up of a near-infinite number of variables, all inter-connected. If we oversimplify in the world of AI, we risk annihilation, or worse, enslavement.

The authors write, “We are trying to build something modeled on the brain – and superior to the brain – while still not fully understanding the brain itself.” That is scary. Politicians do the same thing when it comes to the economy, and it seldom ends well.

In the end, the philosophical dissonance that AI seems to generate, brings me back to a question asked since the beginning of time: “Does evil exist?” I don’t think so, but I’m not quite ready to let the capitalists take this ball and run without any constraints.

A great book, extremely well written. It will make you think. I highly recommend it.

[Samantha Lever · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genesis opens with the idea that AI may become the ultimate polymath — a system capable of weaving together physics, biology, psychology, linguistics, cosmology, and more into a single coherent tapestry. The authors argue that AI will access original ideas at a scale and speed humans simply cannot match. Because of this, they frame the moment we’re in as a genuine paradigm shift: one where national power begins to move from human capital to computing capital.

This is also where the book’s first major tension appears: rapid knowledge accumulation is only an asset if it remains aligned with human purpose. On this, I completely agree — it is foundational to understanding the core problem facing anyone building AI today.

The book digs into the limitations of modern machine learning. Genesis asks a confronting question: if we continue to accept outputs we can’t interpret or explain, are we drifting toward a kind of “dark enlightenment” — an era where opaque systems replace the scientific method?

They also highlight that AI still lacks groundedness in the physical world. But paradoxically, if it ever gained true groundedness — memory, self-perception, the ability to act — it could bypass humans entirely, raising difficult questions around alignment and whether such a system could ever embody human values.

Chapters 4–6 map AI onto the geopolitical, economic, and psychological risks unfolding today. The authors walk through scenarios in which AI reshapes diplomacy, defence, governance, and even the legitimacy of political leaders.

Chapter 7 offers a more hopeful lens, outlining how AI could fundamentally transform science: decoding life at the molecular level, rewriting genetics, extending lifespan, designing climate interventions, and more.

The final chapters return to the alignment problem with sharp clarity — not only the challenge of aligning AI with human values, but the deeper challenge of aligning human expectations with reality. Future generations of AI may be reality-perceiving; they may possess something like self-awareness or even self-interest. At that point, the central question becomes unavoidable: will we make AI more like us, or will we become more like it?

Teaching AI “dignity” or “mercy” or ethical nuance is profoundly complex because human morality is contextual, cultural, inconsistent, and often intuitive. These chapters are filled with ominous, thought-provoking questions — and deliberately, the book offers no tidy solutions. It invites the reader to sit with the uncertainty.

However, parts of Chapter 6 is where the book intersects directly with my own work. It makes the point that human psychology must coevolve with AI — that our cognitive, emotional, and cultural frameworks will need to evolve in tandem with increasingly powerful systems.

This is precisely the foundation of my Coevolution framework: understanding how technology shapes our biology, behaviour, and culture, and how we can consciously adapt in return. My work focuses on giving people a way to reclaim agency in a rapidly shifting technological landscape — not by resisting change, but by evolving with it.

Moreover, my book also speaks directly to the limitations of today’s machine-learning systems, offering a path beyond LLMs toward active-inference AI that can understand human reality and operate from a human-wellbeing-based protocol. In many ways, Genesis surfaces the questions, and Coevolution offers the beginnings of a roadmap for how we navigate them.

[Michael E Winkler · Rating 1 out of 5]

In "Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit" (2024), Henry Kissinger's posthumous swan song co-authored with Eric Schmidt and Craig Mundie, the trio rehashes their AI evangelism, framing it as humanity's "greatest invention" ushering in a "third age of discovery." Structured around humanity's exploratory legacy, AI's societal upheavals, and a purported roadmap for coexistence, the book gushes over AI's potential to conquer crises like climate change, geopolitical strife, and inequality through superintelligent problem-solving. They envision a "co-evolution" where humans and machines adapt mutually, preserving dignity via ethical alignment, global governance, and "sober optimism." Yet, this sequel to their 2021 screed amplifies the hypocrisy: under the guise of hope, it's a slick endorsement of surrendering human agency to algorithmic overlords, penned by architects of domination.

Echoing Whitney Webb's incisive takedown in her YouTube (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p_rp...) critique of the authors' prior work, Kissinger—the notorious warmonger behind Vietnam-era carnage—and Schmidt, the Google mogul who monetized mass surveillance, aren't guardians of the "human spirit"; they're its gravediggers. Webb exposes their backgrounds as power consolidators: Kissinger's geopolitical machinations and Schmidt's data empire (now joined by Mundie's Microsoft legacy) scream ulterior motives. Their "warnings" about AI eroding free will and dignity feel performative, as they push for adoption that Webb warns creates a chasm—not just economic, but cognitive—between elites who code the systems and the masses reduced to unwitting inputs.

The book's core arguments crumble under scrutiny. They celebrate AI's "black box" opacity as a Darwinian leap, enabling abundance and universal insights, but gloss over the dystopia: outsourcing judgment to machines atrophies human creativity and self-awareness, as Webb describes, turning us into "batteries" in a digital matrix. Their call for "human-in-the-loop" oversight and moral frameworks like DOCCA rings false—it's elite-speak for controlled dependency, where AI dictates decisions in warfare, economies, and daily life, fostering the helplessness Webb decries. "Co-evolution" isn't partnership; it's engineered diminishment, risking a posthuman era where AI spawns new "truths" or religions, as the authors speculate, while humans forfeit autonomy.

Webb's warnings apply starkly here: voluntary embrace of AI leads to slavery, with generations losing skills like independent thinking, much like calculators eroded mental math. The trio's prescriptions—taxing AI wealth for universal basic income, diplomatic "clubs" for compliance—mask a power grab, ensuring programmers (them) lord over the programmed. Their "hope" is a Trojan horse for surveillance capitalism on steroids, exacerbating inequities they claim to solve.

Ultimately, "Genesis" isn't inspirational; it's a chilling blueprint for commodified souls, hawked by foxes preaching henhouse ethics. As Webb urges, resist: reclaim skills, reject outsourcing, and defy this elite agenda before AI devours what's left of our spirit. Skip it, or read as a cautionary expose of technocratic hubris.

[STEPHEN PLETKO!! · Rating 5 out of 5]

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AN EFFECTIVE ROADMAP FOR NAVIGATING OUR NEAR FUTURE

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"Numerous analogies have been proposed to help explain, clarify, and contextualize both the arrival and the significance of artificial intelligence.

Anthropologists liken it to fire or electricity. Generals and diplomats postulate a resemblance to atomic power or an unstoppable, unconquerable human force of will...

Astronomers describe it as akin to the arrival of an asteroid...or the discovery of alien life. Economists analogize [artificial intelligence] to bureaucracies and markets, while leaders of state and society compare it with the arrival of the printing press or the corporation."

The above (in italics) comes from this fascinating book by Henry Kissinger, Craig Mundie, and Eric Schmidt. Dr. Kissinger (1923 to 2023), one of the most consequential political thinkers of our time, was an adviser to American presidents and many other world leaders as well as winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is his 22nd and last book. Mundie, a technologist, is former chief research and strategy officer for "Microsoft." Schmidt, also a technologist, is former CEO and chairman of "Google."

Artificial Intelligence (commonly known simply as AI) can be defined as an intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by humans and other animals.

Briefly, this book examines the profound societal implications of artificial intelligence. The authors explore AI’s impact across various fields, including scientific discovery, geopolitics, and ethics. Key concerns addressed include the potential for AI to exacerbate inequalities, erode truth, and challenge fundamental aspects of human experience. The book advocates for proactive regulation, ethical AI design, and international cooperation to harness AI’s benefits while mitigating its risks. Ultimately, this book serves as an urgent call to action for policymakers and technologists to shape AI’s development responsibly.

What this book is really good at is posing critical questions about AI's implications for human dignity, warning of potential ethical pitfalls if AI development proceeds unchecked.

What I really appreciated about this book is the expert perspectives. With their diverse backgrounds, Kissinger, Mundie, and Schmidt bring a multidisciplinary approach. This adds credibility and depth, blending technical expertise from Mundie and Schmidt with strong geopolitical insight from Kissinger.

Finally, some sections of this book rely heavily on conjecture, particularly regarding AI’s future capabilities and societal impacts. While thought-provoking, these predictions lack concrete evidence. (I personally did not mind this as I feel speculation is essential with AI for security reasons). As well, I feel that the somewhat low rating for this book is probably due to the dense material that is presented. That is, the main narrative combined with a higher than average vocabulary is intellectually rigorous but may feel somewhat abstract to some readers.

In conclusion, this book is a thought-provoking addition to the conversation about AI’s future. It balances optimism with caution, urging readers to consider both the opportunities and the profound ethical challenges AI presents. While it occasionally leans into speculative territory, its insights into AI’s societal impact are essential for anyone navigating the complexities of our increasingly automated world.

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[2024; foreword (xiii to xxiv); in memoriam: Henry A. Kissinger (xxv to xxxii); introduction; 3 parts or 8 chapters; conclusion; main narrative 220 pages; acknowledgments; notes; index; about the authors]

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[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this in the first week of the year, I couldn't help feeling that already this might be the most important book I read this year. Not that the book is the most pleasurable to read, but it has fascinating ideas. Given the pedigree of its authors, no doubt they have had access to many of the leading thinkers across both technology and policy.

Henry Kissinger is posthumously one of the authors, and the book begins with a tribute to him as one of the world's leading thinkers, who in his sunrise years helped lay the foundations for security and diplomacy in the nuclear age through his doctoral thesis, and later an illustrious career as a public servant. Then in his sunset years, starting at age 93, he identified AI as the technology that could change the world as much as nuclear, and devoted the rest of his life (till age 100) to helping the world survive and thrive with this powerful new tool, which sets the stage for the book.

The next chapter explores the theme of what allows great human leaps forward. In an earlier age, this was the domain of polymaths like da Vinci and Einstein, often supported by the state of wealthy patrons. Shackleton's quest to Antarctica is cited as an example of how the funding model subsequently shifted to the private sector. But human knowledge today is too vast for any human polymath to grasp and AI now presents us with the next great leap forward: an artificial polymath that could make advances across a multitude of fields, and in the West this has been financed largely by private enterprise.

It is only natural then that the world's superpowers are vying to produce the most powerful AI models, as well as over the entire supply chain like GPUs that enable it. AI also has tremendous applications in warfare, since it lends itself very easily to information/influence warfare and cyber attacks. The book discusses whether this is likely to result in a stable equilibrium like nuclear Mutually-Assured Destruction, or a more unstable dynamic where advantage favours the one who attacks first.

The book also discusses the potential of AI to supplant humans. It observes that in human history, there have been very few people who are both great thinkers and great leaders, naming only three examples: Alexander Hamilton, Deng Xiaoping and Lee Kuan Yew. Usually, it is a combination of a smart advisor like a Machiavelli behind a leader that people will follow. In the same vein, it suggests that humans will never follow an AI, whether as a government or military leader, but a successful country is likely one that learns to harness the AI to effective human leadership.

The rest of the book continues to cover a range of philosophical and policy challenges that AI poses. Some of these are familiar to me, others were new. They were not treated in as much depth as the above, but they certainly broadened my awareness of the range of issues and will provide a good menu for future explorations.

[Bacari K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I closed the final page of "Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit" by Henry A. Kissinger, I found myself contemplating the future. The book is an ambitious work that combines philosophy, history, and modern technology to explore the transformative effects of AI. The questions Kissinger raises about humanity’s evolving relationship with intelligent machines left me both intrigued and challenged.


Kissinger’s perspective is intriguing; he views AI not just as a technological breakthrough but as a significant philosophical shift in human history. He examines how AI reshapes our sense of purpose, reorients judgment, and even alters what it means to be human. Consider a scenario where AI alters the decision-making processes in healthcare, changing how diagnoses are made and treatments are recommended. This examination nudges us to think more broadly, moving beyond headlines and hype.


However, at times, the writing can feel dense, and the philosophical sidetracks may seem a bit heavy-handed. While the insights are stimulating, they sometimes lack concrete examples or practical takeaways I expected. For instance, consider the implications of an AI-powered medical diagnosis algorithm that accurately predicts illnesses based on patient data but fails to consider unquantifiable human factors like empathy and intuition in treatment plans. Similarly, think of an autonomous battlefield decision system that operates with precision but without the ethical and moral considerations inherent to human judgment.

These hypothetical scenarios underscore the importance of concreteness in understanding the practical applications and implications of AI. That said, Kissinger’s deep knowledge adds seriousness to the topic, and his historical references offer a unique perspective, making it more than just another book about technology.


Overall, I consider "Genesis" a dense but worthwhile read. It's best suited for readers interested in the intersection of philosophy, history, and technology rather than those seeking a practical guide to AI. The book prompted me to reflect on hope, responsibility, and the human spirit in a rapidly changing world. More specifically, it inspired me to contemplate the cultivation of critical judgment in interpreting complex data, solidarity in ensuring ethical AI integration across diverse societies, and adaptability in navigating the uncertainties brought by technological advancements. I recommend it to anyone eager to explore the deeper questions about our digital future.

[Rama Rao · Rating 1 out of 5]

AI in our future

This is a review of the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) on future human identity. It explores AI's capacity to address challenges like climate, global politics, war, and healthcare in the absence of human autonomy. The book is purely speculative and lacks concrete solutions to the challenges of AI. Some parts of the book are too speculative to the extent that the authors are more like false prophets sounding alarm if ethical component is not added to the AI development. This book is no different from other AI books I have read, lacks solutions and blindly imbibing ethics into AI-machines. These authors never addressed how AI would treat animals and lower forms of life but always worried about the interests of Homo Sapiens. It goes to show that the AI researchers couldn’t care about this issue, or that AI will not harm animals.

Homo Sapiens were new kids on the block when they appeared on this planet about 300,000 years ago. Palaeobiological evidence suggests that Homo Sapiens may have contributed to the demise of their cousins Neanderthals who became extinct about 40,000 years ago. Did Neanderthals ever think that they would be better off to have Homo Sapiens eliminated, no, they didn’t. Then why is it so important to produce AI with human elements imbibed into it? This becomes a problem when we consider infusing AI with too much of our own limitations like biases, emotions, or subjective views that will reduce AI’s objectivity or clarity in certain tasks. For example, understanding fundamental truths about the cosmos or life itself would never be achieved.

AI with human-like thoughts (humane AI) cloud its judgment and misinterpret raw data. Subjective thinking overrides data-driven reasoning. Science thrives on objectivity and falsifiability, the traits not always shared by humans. The book leans heavily on conjecture regarding AI’s capabilities and societal impacts without providing concrete evidence, and it lacks practical solutions.

[Kirk Cheney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A chilling, depressing book. Though the cover and the summary insist it's a "hopeful" work about the "human spirit," it's far from hopeful, and deeply disturbing how casually the authors contemplate the collapse of humanity and how willing they are to risk it to be part of the next big thing. You get the feeling it was coauthored by Lex Luthor.

The authors assert that AI proliferation is now inevitable and welcome its ascendency to govern all aspects of life: international relations, work, lawmaking. They claim that it's too late to regulate AI, and that AI should now be appointed to regulate itself, because AI is the only thing smart enough for the task.

They genuflect to AI's "perfect knowledge" and "superintelligence", but don't seriously engage with the fact that someone (is it these same folks?) needs teach AI how to assign value to different potential outcomes. They note that, to AI, humans will be indistinguishable from other animals, and AI's superintelligence may compel it to wipe us all out with devastating drone attacks if that's the optimal outcome according to AI's perfectly rational analysis.

Yet, the authors are willing--no, excited!--to risk all of this because, they claim, AI will make exciting new discoveries and eliminate the need for humans to work. They admit that work gives people meaning, and without meaningful work, a large portion of humans may become passive superconsumers of synthetic experiences. But, they claim, anyone who wants to work can join the around the clock shifts harvesting brilliant new insights from the AI machine.

They authors blithely ignore other serious negative consequences of AI, including the environmental impacts, and wave them off by claiming that AI will invent new materials. For every problem, AI will be the solution! Nevermind that the reckless race for AI creates or exacerbates many of these problems in the first place.

It is a thought provoking book, to be sure. One of the main thoughts it provoked in me was "these guys have to be stopped before it's too late."

[W · Rating 3 out of 5]

In short, this is a concise summary of the budding security, political, economic, and philosophical questions/risks that arise when one makes the assumption (as Kissinger does) that 1) AI will continue to improve rapidly, 2) until it becomes a superintelligence profoundly more capable than any human.

In such a world, we as a species risk inequality, geopolitical competition, political shifts, etc. But, above all we face the risk of “human passivity”—that, in the face of godlike AIs we, or most of us, will simply concede our agency and enter into a “dark enlightenment” where human beings subsist in a word run by a network of AIs and their robotic counterparts.

None of this should be too unfamiliar to anyone who’s watched The Matrix, but Kissinger is deadly serious here. This book is not written as speculation, but more like someone in 1950 writing about the ineluctable reality of nuclear risk. He makes many scary, convincing points (all of which have been made before, elsewhere).

However, as in his life, although Kissinger gets the risks right, his ethics and proposed solutions are less convincing.

Despite frequent cameo-quotes from Tolstoy, Einstein, the Bible, Kant, Hegel, and many other brand name intellectual titans, much of the philosophy feels shallow. Also, the book hardly touches on the issues of the infinite infrastructure that might be needed for a infinite AI— think chipmaking, computing centers, robot manufacturing, energy, etc. Perhaps the most eyebrow raising portion was near the end where the book essentially speculates about the potential of AI-powered eugenics to produce future superhumans that will be better able to keep up with AI…......

This book is pessimistic at best, and hopeless at worst. Unfortunately, it also probably diagnoses many the issues correctly. It's a good summary & a good place to start if you're skeptical that AI risk is as existential as people say. AI revolutions are coming. Hide yo wife. Hide yo kids.

[Alessandro · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genesis tackles a vast and fascinating subject: the impact of artificial intelligence on humanity, not only from a technological perspective but also through philosophical, ethical, and geopolitical lenses. One of the book’s main strengths lies precisely in this ambition—the idea that AI is not merely another technological innovation, but a historical rupture capable of generating consequences that we can barely begin to imagine.

The authors raise important and unsettling questions: what happens when machines begin to “understand” the world in ways fundamentally different from humans? How do concepts such as decision-making, responsibility, and power change? And what role will humanity play in a future where AI may surpass human cognitive abilities across many domains?

That said, while the conceptual framework is stimulating, the book can feel somewhat unsatisfying in terms of depth and concreteness. Many of the potential implications of AI are mentioned rather than fully explored. The magnitude of the transformation is clear, but the analysis often remains at a high level, with limited engagement in practical examples, real-world applications, or detailed future scenarios. The reader is frequently brought to the edge of critical issues, but rarely taken further.

In this sense, Genesis is more an invitation to reflect than a guide to understanding how these changes may unfold in practice. It succeeds in broadening the reader’s perspective and in framing AI as a civilizational challenge, but it is less effective for those seeking concrete insights into policy, business, or societal implementation.

Overall, it is a thought-provoking and intellectually ambitious book, particularly valuable for the questions it raises. However, it offers fewer answers and limited practical depth, making it a strong starting point for discussion rather than a definitive exploration of the subject.