CHU RECOMMENDS: 4 Books, 1 Novel, & 3 Podcasts to Learn About & Keep Up with AI
CHU RECOMMENDS: 4 Books, 1 Novel, & 3 Podcasts to Learn About & Keep Up with AI
Net/ Summary:
The Books:
- The AI Driven Leader by Geoff Woods
- AI First by Adam Brotman and Andy Sack
- The Experimentation Machine by Jeffrey Bussgang
- Human + Machine by Paul R. Daugherty & H. James Wilson
The Novel:
- Coded Justice, by Stacey Abrams
The Podcasts:
- The Most Interesting Thing in AI
- Beyond the Prompt – How To Use AI In Your Company
- Practical AI
More Details:
The Books:
The AI Driven Leader by Geoff Woods
This book blends strategic frameworks with real-world applications to help leaders understand and implement AI initiatives. Woods distills complex concepts into approachable tools for decision-makers.
Best for those wanting to translate AI potential into actionable leadership strategies.
AI First by Adam Brotman and Andy Sack
A practical playbook for leaders in any industry, AI First lays out the mindset and operating model needed to integrate AI into every level of an organization. The authors focus on customer experience, organizational design, and cultural transformation.
Best for those wanting to shift their business mindset to lead with AI from the ground up.
The Experimentation Machine by Jeffrey Bussgang
Bussgang, a venture capitalist and Harvard professor, explores how top startups use experimentation and data—especially with AI—to drive innovation. The book includes case studies from the tech world and frameworks for iterative learning.
Best for those wanting to understand how AI powers experimentation, especially in fast-moving startups and product teams.
Human + Machine by Paul R. Daugherty & H. James Wilson
This foundational book from two Accenture executives lays out how companies can combine human ingenuity with AI’s capabilities to reinvent business processes. It introduces the concept of “missing middle” jobs and augmented intelligence.
Best for those wanting to explore how AI augments—not replaces—human work across industries.
The Novel:
Coded Justice by Stacey Abrams
Abrams weaves a fast-paced legal thriller around a deepfake video and a high-stakes courtroom battle. Beneath the drama lies a thought-provoking look at AI, surveillance, and ethics.
Best for those wanting to grasp the real-world potential in health care and the risks of AI through a gripping, fictional lens.
The Podcasts:
The Most Interesting Thing in AI
Hosted by Nathan Benaich, this podcast offers sharp insights into the latest developments in AI, from research to policy. With guests from DeepMind, OpenAI, and VC firms, it’s both accessible and rigorous.
Best for those wanting to stay current on breakthroughs and big-picture trends in the AI ecosystem.
Beyond the Prompt – How To Use AI In Your Company
This podcast focuses on real-world implementations of AI tools across functions like sales, marketing, operations, and customer service. It’s geared toward business leaders and internal innovators.
Best for those wanting to learn practical, tactical ways to embed AI in daily business workflows.
Practical AI
Produced by Changelog, this long-running podcast brings together developers, data scientists, and entrepreneurs to discuss AI applications, tools, and ethics. Each episode balances technical depth with big-picture thinking.
Best for those wanting to understand how AI actually works—and how to build with it.
Please let me know your recommendations!
PS/ Disclaimer: One of the major debates about AI is “Does it/ can it/ or will AI make people lazy?” FYI, I have actually read all 5 books (and others I have not recommended) and listen to these podcasts every week, but after outlining the article, I asked ChatGPT to write the short summaries and “best for” recommendations for each bullet from the summary. I did not feel the need to edit what she wrote. Am I lazy or productive????
