Supremacy

AI, ChatGPT, and the Race that Will Change the World

By: Parmy Olson

Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

In November 2022, a webpage was posted online with a simple text box. It was ChatGPT, and was unlike any app people had used before. It was more human than a customer service agent, more convenient than a Google search. Behind the scenes, battles for control and prestige between the world’s two leading AI firms, OpenAI and DeepMind, who now steers Google's AI efforts, has remained elusive—until now.

In Supremacy, Olson, tech writer at Bloomberg, tells the astonishing story of the battle between these two AI firms, their struggles to use their tech for good, and the hazardous direction they could go as they serve two tech monopolies whose power is unprecedented in history. The story focuses on the continuing rivalry of two key CEOs at the center of it all, who cultivated a religion around their mission to build god-like super intelligent machines: Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Demis Hassabis, the CEO of DeepMind.

Supremacy sharply alerts listeners to the real threat of artificial intelligence that its top creators are ignoring: the profit-driven spread of flawed and biased technology into industries, education, media and more. With exclusive access to a network of high-ranking sources, Parmy Olson uses her 13 years of experience covering technology to bring to light the exploitation of the greatest invention in human history, and how it will impact us all.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2024 Parmy Olson (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"We gain a jarringly clear sense of the radical social and economic changes already being brought about by AI and of at least some of the risks posed by them....An accessible, insightful exploration of the history and evolving impact of AI technologies."–Kirkus Reviews

“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, professor of computer science at Princeton University and co-author of AI Snake Oil

“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, professor emeritus at New York University and author of Taming Silicon Valley

Filled a lot of holes

As an AI enthusiast, I found the storyline enriching—it effectively filled in many historical gaps concerning the development of AI and the key figures involved. It also enhanced my understanding of the reasons to control AI. However, the narrative was occasionally frustrating, particularly when it shifted between years or decades without clear markers. It was sometimes confusing whether the events were taking place in 2002 or 2015, for example. Including more explicit references to the years would have made the storyline performance even more enjoyable.

My rating: 9

Great story telling. Nice insight into the world of AI and its implications towards the future

Fascinating and very informative

I’m in the AI bubble, and yet, I learned a lot. So, I think the general public will appreciate this well-written book.

great for guardian readers

The book has good stories and presents a timeline of recent AI developments but the author has an axe to grind about intersectional problems with the models and their developers which consumes most of the book.

Author doesn’t understand AI

Author seems to confuse LLMs with AGI and use them interchangeably. Author has a definite censorship streak and isn’t afraid to couch the book in her narrow perspective. This book isn’t well written or interesting.