AI Power Plays: Two Books Decode the Promise and Peril of Tech’s Future

Inside the Global Empire of Artificial Intelligence

In Empire of AI, technology journalist Karen Hao investigates how artificial intelligence is not just a tool, but an instrument of geopolitical power. Drawing from years of reporting across the U.S., China, and other key regions, Hao paints a chilling picture of AI’s uneven development and its consequences for global equity and surveillance. Her book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the corporate and governmental interests vying for algorithmic dominance, particularly in the U.S. and China, where friendly competition often blurs with ideological warfare. With careful scrutiny and firsthand interviews, Hao traces how deeply embedded AI has become in the engines of commerce, defense, and control—raising ethical alarms while providing a data-rich analysis for policymakers and technologists alike.

The Bright-Sided CEO Next Door

In contrast, Keach Hagey’s The Optimist takes a more character-driven approach by chronicling the rise of tech leader Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. Hagey, a seasoned Wall Street Journal reporter, zeros in on Altman’s persistent idealism in the face of Silicon Valley’s shifting tides. Through interviews and narrative-driven storytelling, the book examines how Altman’s public optimism sometimes masks complex decisions about existential risks, regulatory tensions, and the broader societal impact of AI. While Empire of AI casts a wide, systemic net, The Optimist offers a tight, personal lens on how influential figures hope to steer the technology toward broadly beneficial outcomes—even while navigating minefields of criticism, power consolidation, and economic stakes.