Finished Superagency by Reid Hoffman this week, and it’s one of the more thoughtful takes on AI I’ve read lately. It’s not about the hype or the doom, but instead tries to weave the story around other human inventions and how they they either were stifled by regulation, like GPS or wide open like cars.

Hoffman’s central idea is that AI gives us superagency, tools that make our actions, decisions, and intentions more powerful. That can be incredible, or it can go sideways fast. He points out we’ve already been blending tech and self for years and AI just makes that fusion deeper.

The part that really landed for me: technology doesn’t steer itself. Progress doesn’t just happen. We have to actively shape it through design, policy, and a willingness to ask hard questions about values.

And maybe my favorite angle: Hoffman leans toward collaboration over competition. It’s not about outsmarting the machines or beating other countries to the punch. It’s about building systems and partnerships that actually improve life.

If you’re curious about AI but tired of the extremes, this book is a refreshing middle path.

Bookshop.org link