As the holiday season arrives, it’s the perfect opportunity to slow down, reflect, and dive into the world of Artificial Intelligence—particularly its ethics and governance. In a time when AI transforms every facet of our lives, these two themes have never been more relevant: How can we ensure AI systems are transparent, ethical, and fair? How do we build governance frameworks to guide responsible development and protect societal values?
I’ve curated two lists of must-read books: the Top 10 AIGovernance Books and the Top 10 AI Ethics Books. These books will inspire, inform, and challenge you as you ponder how AI shapes the world around us. Whether you’re curled up by the fire or planning for the year ahead, let these authors be your companions for thoughtful holiday reading.
- Stuart Russell - Human Compatible: AI and the Problem of Control Russell explores how to align AI systems with human values, warning against a future where AI may act beyond human control. Essential for understanding responsible AI development. Topic: AI risks, human oversight. amazon shop
- Frank Pasquale - The Black Box Society Pasquale reveals the dangers of opaque AI systems that control finance, law, and healthcare, urging us to build transparent and accountable governance structures. Topic: Algorithmic transparency, accountability. amazon shop
- Kate Crawford - Atlas of AI Crawford examines the global costs of AI—social, political, and environmental—highlighting the need for international governance to address AI's planetary impact. Topic: AI power, regulation, and sustainability. amazon.shop
- Virginia Dignum - Responsible Artificial Intelligence Dignum provides practical frameworks for developing and using AI responsibly, ensuring fairness, accountability, and societal benefit. Topic: Ethical AI governance. amazon.shop
- Michael Kearns & Aaron Roth - The Ethical Algorithm Kearns and Roth explain how to design algorithms that prioritize fairness, privacy, and transparency without sacrificing innovation. Topic: Fair algorithmic design. amazon.shop
- Sarah Brayne - Predict and Surveil Brayne explores how AI in policing increases surveillance and power imbalances, emphasizing the need for regulatory frameworks to prevent misuse. Topic: AI in policing, ethical governance. amazon.shop
- Carissa Veliz - Privacy Is Power Veliz argues for stronger governance to protect personal data, urging individuals and policymakers to reclaim control from tech giants. Topic: Data privacy, regulatory action. amazon.shop
- Simone Browne - Dark Matters: On the Surveillance of Blackness Browne investigates how AI surveillance reinforces systemic discrimination, calling for ethical and equitable governance of surveillance systems. Topic: AI, race, and surveillance. amazon.shop
- Hannah Fry - Hello World: How to Be Human in the Age of the Machine Fry examines how AI shapes justice, healthcare, and society, making a case for human oversight and governance in critical AI systems. Topic: Human-centered AI, governance. amazon.shop
- Shoshana Zuboff - The Age of Surveillance Capitalism Zuboff provides a comprehensive critique of AI-powered data exploitation, advocating for regulations that protect privacy and freedom in a digital world. Topic: Surveillance capitalism, global governance. amazon.shop
- Cathy O'Neil - Weapons of Math Destruction O’Neil highlights how AI algorithms perpetuate inequality in hiring, education, and policing, urging a rethinking of ethical data practices. Topic: Algorithmic bias, fairness. amazon.shop
- Safiya Umoja Noble - Algorithms of Oppression Noble exposes the racial and gender biases embedded in search engines, sparking a call for ethical AI design that ensures equity. Topic: Search engine bias, digital inequality. amazon.shop
- Caroline Criado Perez - Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men Perez reveals how gender-biased datasets lead to systemic discrimination, emphasizing the need for inclusive AI ethics. Topic: Gender bias in data. amazon.shop
- Meredith Broussard - Artificial Unintelligence Broussard critiques the blind faith in AI systems and advocates for ethical boundaries that respect AI's limitations. Topic: Techno-skepticism, AI ethics. amazon.shop
- Cennydd Bowles - Future Ethics Bowles offers practical guidance for ethical decision-making in tech, challenging developers to design AI with responsibility and care. Topic: Ethical design, responsibility. amazon.shop
- Ruha Benjamin - Race After Technology Benjamin critiques how AI systems reinforce systemic racism and calls for abolitionist tools to build a more just technological future. Topic: Racial justice, technology ethics.amazon.shop
- Virginia Eubanks - Automating Inequality Eubanks reveals how automated systems punish and profile marginalized communities, highlighting the ethical failures of unchecked AI. Topic: AI and inequality. amazon.shop
- Zeynep Tufekci - Twitter and Tear Gas Tufekci explores how AI-driven social media empowers protest movements but also exposes vulnerabilities, calling for ethical digital platforms. Topic: AI and social movements.amazon.shop
- Moya Bailey - Misogynoir Transformed Bailey examines how Black women resist digital misogyny and racism, calling for inclusive AI practices that prioritize equity. Topic: Digital resistance, inclusion. amazon.shop
- Kate Crawford - Atlas of AI Crawford’s work appears again for its ethical focus on AI’s exploitation of labor, resources, and communities, urging a deeper reckoning with its consequences. Topic: Ethical AI systems, planetary costs. amazon.shop
Over the holidays, these carefully curated books offer an opportunity to reflect on the role of AI in our lives. The AI Governance list focuses on regulatory frameworks, transparency, and oversight, while the AI Ethics list dives into fairness, inclusivity, and the societal impacts of AI.
By exploring these works, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how we can collectively guide AI systems toward a future that is ethical, fair, and aligned with human values.
May your holiday season be filled with inspiration, learning, and the joy of a good book! 📚✨
Happy Holidays and Happy Reading! 🎄
Are there any other exciting books? I would also be happy to receive your book suggestions in the comments
