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Exponential

How Accelerating Technology Is Leaving Us Behind and What to Do About It

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Exponential

By: Azeem Azhar
Narrated by: Azeem Azhar
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Brought to you by Penguin.

A revelatory guide to how technology is changing the world, from the creator of Exponential View
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We are entering the Exponential Age.

Between faster computers, better software and bigger data, ours is the first era in human history in which technology is constantly accelerating.

Azeem Azhar - writer, technologist, and creator of the acclaimed Exponential View newsletter - understands this shift better than anyone. Technology, he argues, is developing at an increasing, exponential rate. But human society - from our businesses to our political institutions - can only ever adapt at a slower, incremental pace. The result is an 'exponential gap' - between the power of new technology and humans' ability to keep up.

In Exponential, Azhar shows how this exponential gap can explain our society's most pressing problems. The gulf between established businesses and fast-growing digital platforms. The inability of nation states to deal with new forms of cyberwarfare. And the sclerotic response of liberal democracies to fast-moving social problems.

But the exponential gap is not inevitable. Drawing on fields as varied as economics, political science and psychology, Azhar sketches out how we can harness the power of tech to serve our real needs - fostering new ways of doing business, innovative forms of politics, and fresh approaches to national defence.

The result is a holistic new way to make sense of the modern world. Exponential technology is transforming all of our lives. This book explains how.
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'Comprehensive but lively . . . An essential addition to the ongoing discourse about where remarkable new technologies can take us, and where we should be aiming to go. Highly recommended!' Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and author of Blitzscaling

'Read this book if you are interested in how we can design a more inclusive and sustainable system with a re-direction of technological change at its centre.' Mariana Mazzucato, UCL professor and author of The Value of Everything

'A powerful argument . . . Azeem Azhar's writing is informative and accessible, and his prescient ideas are only going to become more important as time goes on.' Hannah Fry, BBC Radio 4 presenter and author of Hello World

'Brilliant . . . Demystifies exponentially fast changes and - importantly - shows how the chronic volatility can be harnessed for good. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how to reclaim a good society from the snapping jaws of looming chaos.' Robert Peston, ITV Political Editor and author of WTF

'Azeem Azhar is one of the best-regarded thought leaders in the industry . . . He has a broad understanding of the ways technology can be used to solve our biggest problems, shape our society, and bridge cultural divides.' Daniel Ek, co-founder and CEO of Spotify

'Azeem Azhar is a globally recognised voice on technology and its impact. He has written a fascinating and important book, required reading for anyone seeking to understand the new economy and the massive global corporations that seek to dominate that economy.' Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, Royal Society of Arts

© Azeem Azhar 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

History & Culture International Politics & Government Technology & Society Technology Business Socialism Capitalism Cyber Warfare China
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Critic reviews

Valuable and timely . . . The importance of the book lies in its diligent and comprehensive definition of a new phase in human affairs . . . An enticing and necessary read.
As a primer on our latest multi-dimensional technological revolution and how it is rewriting the rules of society, economics and politics, this book is hard to beat. (Books of the Year)
The exponentially growing mismatch between the tools available to democracies and the sheer might of technology giants is one of the great challenges of our time . . . Azeem Azhar's excellent book Exponential offers some solutions. (Amol Rajan)
As high-tech innovation accelerates in ways that deliver huge benefits to society but also create unique challenges, Azeem Azhar delivers a comprehensive but lively take on the key issues informing what he calls the Exponential Age. It's an essential addition to the ongoing discourse about where these remarkable new technologies can take us, and where we should be aiming to go. Highly recommended! (Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and author of BLITZSCALING)
While many talk about the rate of innovation, too few talk about its direction. Azeem's new book helps bring that directionality to the surface through a dynamic understanding of the connections between economic, social and technological forces. Read this book if you are interested in how we can design a more inclusive and sustainable system with a re-direction of technological change at its centre. (Mariana Mazzucato, UCL professor and author of THE VALUE OF EVERYTHING and MISSION ECONOMY)
A sweeping, engaging, nuanced, and ultimately conflicted look at how recent innovations in computing and other emerging technologies have radically transformed human existence, with consequences that we can hardly fathom . . . A deft and clear-eyed treatment of complex issues such as globalisation and the future of automation . . . Perhaps Azhar's most valuable insight is that conservatively managing the individual risks posed by new technologies will not suffice.
Azeem Azhar is one of the best-regarded thought leaders in the industry. But more importantly, he has a broad understanding of the exponential ways technology can be used to solve our biggest problems, shape our society, and bridge cultural divides. (Daniel Ek, founder and CEO of Spotify)
Azeem Azhar is a globally recognised voice on technology and its impact. He has written a fascinating and important book, required reading for anyone seeking to understand the new economy and the massive global corporations that seek to dominate that economy. (Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, Royal Society of Arts)
Azhar is unapologetically bullish about the power of technology . . . He speaks powerfully about how we need to shape technology to put it back in the service of society.
Brilliant. (Anil Seth, author of BEING YOU)
All stars
Most relevant
Really good book for people wanting to best prepare for the future... Loads of things covered, that if read will ultimately get your mind ready for the future and welcome it with arms...

The book started well and then went exponential!

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Really well written and narrated. Opens your eyes to the world and how we're evolving. Uplifting in this sometimes depressing world.

Eye opening and excellently written and narrated!

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Well articulated and thought provoking concepts for the cautiously optimistic futurist. Azeem, thank you for making the effort to share these ideas.

Beware of the future

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Balanced yet thought provoking, on the interplay between technology, economics, sociology and politics and the resulting exponential challenges and opportunities facing human society, today and in the near future. Excellently narrated too.

Insightful and inspiring

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Great that it was the author Azeem narrating the book, good content, nice overview of challenges.

Great Narration

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