Book Review: What You Need to Know About AI: A Primer on Being Human in an Artificially Intelligent World

 

What You Need to Know About AI: A Primer on Being Human in an Artificially Intelligent World

by James Wang — Courtesy of NetGalley

Artificial intelligence is no longer theoretical—it is reshaping how we work, invest, govern, and live. In What You Need to Know About AI, James Wang offers a grounded, no-hype primer for readers who want to understand AI and its implications for being human in a rapidly automated world.

Wang is strongest when explaining cause and effect: how economics, incentives, and technological progress intersect to drive AI’s adoption. He avoids the extremes that dominate much AI writing—there is no sci-fi alarmism (Terminator, iRobot, or HAL) and no blind optimism (AI is not going to save this world, only mankind can do that). Instead, Wang presents AI as a powerful human-created tool, capable of broad benefit but also real disruption, including misuse by bad actors and nation states.

The book is informative and, at times, demanding (at least it was for me). While clearly aimed at the general reader, sections drift into technical and financial detail that may overwhelm those without a background in technology or investment. The prose can occasionally feel heavy, slowing the narrative under the weight of explanation.

Still, for technologists, investors, futurists, students of innovation, nerds, and readers trying to seriously catch up with AI, this is a valuable resource. Wang’s historical framing—particularly his discussion of the Luddites and technological change—is thoughtful and well applied.

Bottom line: Not a light read, but a substantive one. A solid four-star primer for readers willing to engage deeply with a subject that is already redefining the interplay between humanity and technology.