Mind Crime: The Moral Frontier of Artificial Intelligence

by Nathan Rourke

Humanity is racing to create machine intelligence vastly smarter than the human brain. We will succeed.

Blending accessible philosophy with the latest in AI developments, Mind Crime: The Moral Frontier of Artificial Intelligence forces readers to grapple with the moral questions we can no longer afford to ignore.

Are we prepared for the consequences of artificial superintelligence? Will humanity's survival be threatened, perhaps within years? Is digital consciousness possible? Are we sleepwalking into horrific moral catastrophe?

Mind Crime explores the nature of digital consciousness, fates worse than extinction, and the moral challenges we must address before our window for action closes forever. For those fascinated by the intersection of ethics and cutting-edge technology, Mind Crime is an essential and provocative read—one that will leave you questioning the very foundations of consciousness, morality, and the future of civilization itself.

146 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2025

About the author

Nathan Rourke is a joint MBA and Master’s in Computer Science student at the University of Chicago, where he is researching the economic, technological, and moral implications of advanced artificial intelligence. He spent his early career in quantitative portfolio management, where he managed billions of dollars in institutional assets and earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. The rapid development of AI capabilities sparked his career shift, and he is now focused on the unprecedented challenges humanity faces as AI systems begin to surpass human-level intelligence.

Mind Crime is his first book, an urgent philosophical investigation into the moral challenges posed by artificial superintelligence. Through this work and his ongoing research, he aims to foster the moral clarity and institutional foresight needed to guide humanity through the transition to a world shaped by superintelligent systems.

Reviews

[Didi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book! Captivating and super relevant to today's debate about AI.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. Nathan does a great job explaining and thinking through big questions that we should be asking ourselves now. I highly recommend this book!!!

[Michael Rourke · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10! Extremely timely and inspiring!