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The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, and the Quest for Superintelligence

★ 2026 Financial Times and Standard Chartered Business Book of the Year — Longlist ★ 2026 Financial Times and Standard Chartered Business Book of the Year — Shortlist

Sebastian Mallaby traces Demis Hassabis’s path from childhood chess prodigy to the founder of DeepMind and a central figure in artificial intelligence. Drawing on extensive interviews with Hassabis, colleagues, critics, and competitors, he examines the scientific ambitions and business pressures shaping the company. The narrative connects advances in machine learning with disputes over safety, ownership, and the purpose of discovery. By following a researcher who hopes to unlock fundamental mysteries through artificial intelligence, Mallaby explores what happens when intellectual curiosity becomes entangled with commercial rivalry and the power to reshape society.

Publisher: Penguin Press
Publication date: 2026-03-31
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 480
ISBN: 9780593831847

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