My Book, The Next RenAIssance, Launches Today!

AI, our shared future, and building a world worthy of our children

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I wrote a book.

The Next RenAIssance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential is officially out today!

After spending the last three years in more than 250 boardrooms and on stage in front of roughly 300,000 people, I wrote this book as an answer to the question I’m asked most often, in one form or another:

What happens next?

I’m humbled, thrilled, and overwhelmed by this moment. If you’re one of the 25,000(!) people who pre-ordered it, I offer my most sincere thank you. If you have not yet, I hope you’ll consider ordering a copy today.

On behalf of an industry that so often struggles to explain itself, the book is my best attempt to help the average reader (my mother) make sense of this moment — and what may follow — by placing artificial intelligence in its proper historical context, offering a clear-eyed view of its costs and benefits, and proposing actions we can take to make the most of it.

I hope you, and perhaps someone in your life a bit less tech-savvy, can learn something new and look toward the future with renewed optimism.

A Promise to the Next Generation

While this book is a culmination of my career in AI, the motivation behind it is deeply personal.

The journey began around the same time I learned I was going to be a father. That realization shifted my perspective entirely. The “future” was no longer an abstract concept or a timeline on a slide deck; it was a place where my child was going to live. When we welcomed my daughter into the world this past October, I knew immediately that I wanted to help create a world worthy of her.

I wrote this book because I believe that being optimistic, aiming for massive societal successes, and thinking deeply about how we can improve the world for everyone is the most worthwhile endeavor a parent can undertake. I want my daughter to grow up in a reality where technology expands human potential and happiness, rather than diminishing it. To do that, we can’t afford to give room to cynicism.

How AI Helped Me Find the Soul of the Book

Writing a meaningful book is a humbling, satisfying, and incredibly difficult endeavor. There are already things I’d revise. But as I look at the finished product, I’m not sure I could have done it without AI.

To be clear: AI did not write this book.

However, AI made the book possible. It acted as the ultimate research assistant and structural editor. It helped me get my ideas straight, organized my chaotic thoughts into coherent frameworks, and managed the data so I could focus on the message.

By offloading the organizational and structural heavy lifting to AI, I was granted a rare luxury: the time and mental space to do the human work.

It cleared the path for me to focus on storytelling, on weaving in human dreams, and on connecting with the humans who would read it. AI gave me the freedom to put soul into the work.

The Path Forward

I’m proud that these pages reflect what I’ve learned from a career in AI, years studying the history and possibilities, time with my family, and conversations with thousands of people — world leaders, business leaders, and community builders.

The story of technology is, ultimately, a story of progress. To make sure that you progress with it, I’ll leave you with my four principles for living a better life in the age of AI:

1. Go Outside: The physical world matters more than anything else. Be in it.

2. Be Human: As intelligence becomes abundant, human qualities become more valuable.

3. Learn How to Learn: For most people, the most important skill in a changing world is the ability to acquire new ones.

4. Lead with Optimism: Not because a better future is guaranteed, but because optimism is a critical ingredient in building one.

Thanks for being here; I hope you’ll consider reading The Next RenAIssance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential.

Visit zackkass.com to learn more about Zack and get in touch.