AI is reshaping industries far beyond tech. In McKinsey’s latest state of AI survey, 78 percent of respondents said their organizations use the technology in at least one business function—up from 55 percent in 2023. As gen AI accelerates this shift, it’s never been more important to understand the broader landscape of technology. To help you stay informed, explore nine must-read books recommended by leaders in technology, publishing, the public sector, and more. For even more ideas, check out “What to read next: McKinsey’s 2025 annual book recommendations,” featuring contributions from more than 45 global executives, editors in chief, and McKinsey leaders.
The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna
Recommended by: Mohamed Nanabhay, Managing partner, Mozilla Ventures
Building a God: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and the Race to Control It by Christopher DiCarlo
Recommended by: María Eugenia del Castillo Cabrera, Ambassador, Office of the Vice President, Presidency of the Dominican Republic; Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum
Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit by Henry A. Kissinger, Craig Mundie, and Eric Schmidt
Recommended by: Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, CEO and president, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
A Kids Book About AI Bias by Avriel Epps
Recommended by: Cristina Mancini, CEO, Black Girls Code
The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future by Keach Hagey
Recommended by: Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO, Ruder Finn
The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip by Stephen Witt
Recommended by: Alan Murray, President, WSJ Leadership Institute
The New Lunar Society: An Enlightenment Guide to the Next Industrial Revolution by David A. Mindell
Recommended by: Amy Brand, Director and publisher, MIT Press
The Maniac by Benjamín Labatut
Recommended by: Adam Falk, CEO and president, Wildlife Conservation Society
Inevitable: Inside the Messy, Unstoppable Transition to Electric Vehicles by Mike Colias
Recommended by: Jamie Heller, Editor in chief, Business Insider