AI pioneer Stuart Russell’s compelling analysis of the long-term risks posed by superhuman artificial intelligence. The book dismantles standard arguments downplaying AI risk and proposes a new foundation for AI development centered on provably beneficial machines. Russell argues that we must rebuild AI around the core principle of machines that are uncertain about human preferences, ensuring they always remain subservient to humanity.

Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku explores the scientific plausibility of science-fiction concepts, categorizing "impossible" technologies into distinct classes based on our current understanding of physics. From teleporters and time travel to force fields and starships, Kaku explains how close we are to achieving these feats, showing how what seems impossible today might become reality in the centuries to come.