Feeling overwhelmed by the AI doom loop? Here’s the essential reading list to make sense of it all

It’s a chaotic time in an industry that’s reshaping our lives – Guardian reporters and experts recommend the books that help explain how we got here, and where we’re heading

Have you been feeling trapped in an endless cycle of artificial intelligence hype and panic? You’re not alone.

It’s a chaotic time to make sense of the industry that’s reshaping our lives, whether or not we like it. Last week, another AI company employee publicly resigned , warning the technology “could kill us all by the end of the decade”. Despite these dire warnings, AI companies have seen “ otherworldly ” surges in revenue and driven the US stock markets to new highs as they continue to push AI tools into everything from public school classrooms to law enforcement agencies , as well as rushing to put up new datacenters across the country .