If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies

Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All

De: Eliezer Yudkowsky, Nate Soares

Narrado por: Rafe Beckley

"May prove to be the most important book of our time.”—Tim Urban, Wait But Why

The scramble to create superhuman AI has put us on the path to extinction—but it’s not too late to change course, as two of the field’s earliest researchers explain in this clarion call for humanity.

In 2023, hundreds of AI luminaries signed an open letter warning that artificial intelligence poses a serious risk of human extinction. Since then, the AI race has only intensified. Companies and countries are rushing to build machines that will be smarter than any person. And the world is devastatingly unprepared for what would come next.

For decades, two signatories of that letter—Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares—have studied how smarter-than-human intelligences will think, behave, and pursue their objectives. Their research says that sufficiently smart AIs will develop goals of their own that put them in conflict with us—and that if it comes to conflict, an artificial superintelligence would crush us. The contest wouldn’t even be close.

How could a machine superintelligence wipe out our entire species? Why would it want to? Would it want anything at all? In this urgent book, Yudkowsky and Soares walk through the theory and the evidence, present one possible extinction scenario, and explain what it would take for humanity to survive.

The world is racing to build something truly new under the sun. And if anyone builds it, everyone dies.

“The best no-nonsense, simple explanation of the AI risk problem I've ever read.”—Yishan Wong, Former CEO of Reddit

©2025 Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares (P)2025 Little, Brown & Company

Reseñas de la Crítica

“The most important book of the decade. This captivating page-turner, from two of today’s clearest thinkers, reveals that the competition to build smarter-than-human machines isn’t an arms race but a suicide race, fueled by wishful thinking."—Max Tegmark, author of Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of AI

“If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies may prove to be the most important book of our time. Yudkowsky and Soares believe we are nowhere near ready to make the transition to superintelligence safely, leaving us on the fast track to extinction. Through the use of parables and crystal-clear explainers, they convey their reasoning, in an urgent plea for us to save ourselves while we still can.”—Tim Urban, cofounder, Wait But Why

“The best no-nonsense, simple explanation of the AI risk problem I've ever read.”—Yishan Wong, former CEO of Reddit

If people get this book it’s the most important book in the history of the known universe.

This book, although written by a couple of hard core tech and science nerds, makes the case as clear for none techies as someone with their background can likely hope to make it. The message is clear stark and delivered in plain language, and never shy away from either the dangerous situation we are approaching and why we need to change our path if we want to survive. It does not claim that it is in any way easy to avoid extinction brought about by someone building superhuman AGI, but it does explain what a realistic paths towards avoiding such extinction could look like and it gives examples from history of how humanity has successfully avoided catastrophy through cooperation. Every leader of every nation, minister or member of parliament should read this book. Every big tech CEO should read it. Every earthling should read it. If enough people understand this message in time, we still have a chance for new generations of humans and life on earth to survive and flourish into the future.

This book if read and understood and taken with the seriousness it deserves, could turn out to be more important than the Bible, the Quran, the Veda, Principia, Wealth of Nations, Das Kapital combined.

Excellent explainer for the most important problem

The title is not an exaggeration. This is a short and accessible explanation of the most important problem in the world: the threat of extinction from superintelligent AI.

This book came out today. I started reading this morning and finished this afternoon. I was excited to read it, to say the least, and Yudkowsky and Soares didn't disappoint.

If you don't think AI is the biggest threat facing humanity, read this book. If you do, buy copies for your friends and family. Let's hope the authors are wrong and fight as if they're right.

Terrifying solid logic

I think this is the first book review I have ever written. This was the fourth book I’ve read about AI. As I read it, I was impressed by the simplicity of its prose and its sound logic. I was also, however, terrified by what I read and struggled to maintain my normally positive outlook during the few days I listened to it on my commute. Particularly troubling to me was the absence of, as far I can discern, any reputable refutation of the claims of the author. I still find it incredible that the founders of the top AI companies readily acknowledge that ASI presents a truly existential threat to humanity but pursue it nonetheless. Please read this book and gift it to others. If you have a credible response to the book’s claims, please tell me so I can sleep better at night.

Extinction risk is not fun to think about, but it's important we do think about it.

This book lays out the case brilliantly, and might even motivate you to action in whatever way you can contribute to make disaster that little bit less likely.

Everyone needs to read this book.

You may read this book, and find that you don't completely agree with it. That is ok. I would be shocked however, if you somehow read this book and felt that the current state of affairs around AI development is acceptable.

Everyone should be able to agree, given the points made in this book, that the current state of AI development is reckless. This is the Silent Spring of the 21st century, and we have far less time to react. Even if you are familiar with the topic, reading the book and the accompanying online resources will probably bring to the forefront just how dangerous and critical of an issue this is.

A Must Read

The book presents the issue to the general public in interesting and understandable way. They give concrete, relatable examples of high probability devastating outcomes. I highly recommend it.

Thought provoking and important

It’s a gloomy, sobering, important book. It’s week presented. I’m still mulling if it’s fully persuasive.

This book is an alarm, and everyone needs to understand why it is wailing

What you get is a well-reasoned and thorough argument on AI policy, and an idea of what horrible consequences await us if our policy-makers and journalists fail us.

It's hard to understate how important it is for this message to reach the right decision-makers and thought-leaders.

These individuals need to hear and understand the central message of this book: Please stop. Don't just slow down, or lean on some techno-optimist crutch, or blindly accept ultimatums like "Embrace AI or get out". Stop!

And learn WHY - by reading and understanding the argument in this book.

Most important book of all times

Unmatched in intellect and easy to understand. This is a must read for every technology leader, politician and other leaders in society.

A call to action that I hope finds everyone

This book is one of the most important in our time, and if successful in its mission, will mark a point in time where attitudes changed and humanity was able to come together to avoid the existential threat of artificial super intelligence. May we all share this and live life well.