Description

Winner of the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award

Updated paperback edition with a new preface from the author.

The astonishing story of the people fighting to control the future of generative artificial intelligence – and, therefore, the future of humanity. From award-winning journalist Parmy Olson.

Two titans of Silicon Valley, Microsoft and Google, rushed to embrace artificial intelligence. Microsoft entered a strategic partnership with OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT. Google acquired DeepMind. Together, they now had the resources of the two leading AI companies in the world – and, with it, the potential for unlimited riches.

But what is the cost of this arms race?
Who will win out between Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind) and Sam Altman (OpenAI)?
And, as we outsource ever more to this technology, what will be left for humans to do?

Featuring a cast of larger-than-life characters, from Elon Musk and Peter Thiel to Mark Zuckerberg and Sergey Brin, Supremacy is a story of ambition, exploitation and secrecy, as gripping as any thriller.

With exclusive access to sources at the top of the industry, Supremacy is your essential guide to the history – and the future – of the greatest invention of our time.

‘Astonishing’ – Financial Times
‘A compelling warning’ – The Times
‘A riveting tale . . . Olson is a compelling storyteller’ – New Scientist

Publisher Review

A clear and compelling read about one of the most consequential races in the world – the invention of artificial general intelligence – filled with surprising and juicy details about the powerful men at the heart of it. The deep research in Supremacy reveals startling news and facts as yet unreported about two of the world’s most scrutinized companies — Madhumita Murgia, bestselling author of Code Dependent and AI Editor for the Financial Times Fantastic . . . I just couldn’t recommend it more — Fi Glover, broadcaster and journalist Supremacy makes the topic of artificial intelligence approachable and entertaining by telling the human stories of the people building AI companies. There is never a dull moment in this gripping book — Arvind Narayanan, bestselling author of AI Snake Oil and Professor of Computer Science at Princeton University Money, power, and a [Faustian] bargain that may change the world frame this timely and deeply researched account of two of the biggest players in the race to AI — Gary Marcus, bestselling author of Taming Silicon Valley and Professor Emeritus at New York University Parmy Olson is that rare author who writes with technological expertise about artificial intelligence without losing track of the underlying humanity informing its arrival. She’s intimately familiar with AI’s roots and reach, and she’s drawn a rich blueprint for understanding the revolution it heralds — Timothy O’Brien, Senior Executive Editor for Bloomberg Opinion A well-researched account of the personal and corporate obsession to develop a superintelligence — John Thornhill, reviewing for the Financial Times