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Code Dependent

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What to expect

Read by the author, Madhumita Murgia, this audio edition includes a fascinating exclusive author interview, led by the global AI lead at publisher Pan Macmillan, Sara Lloyd.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2024

What does it mean to be human in a world that is rapidly changing with the development of artificial intelligence?

'Highly readable and deeply important' – The Guardian

'Exposes the hidden consequences of our existing AI technologies' – The Times

Through the voices of ordinary people in places far removed from Silicon Valley, Code Dependent explores the impact of a set of powerful, flawed, and often exploitative technologies on individuals, communities, and our wider society. Madhumita Murgia, AI Editor at the FT, exposes how AI can strip away our collective and individual sense of agency – and shatter our illusion of free will.

AI is already changing what it means to be human, in ways large and small. In this compelling work, Murgia reveals what could happen if we fail to reclaim our humanity.

'The intimate investigation of AI that we’ve been waiting for, and it arrives not a moment too soon.' – Shoshana Zuboff, author of The Age of Surveillance Capitalism

'A nuanced, thoughtful and very accessible picture of a world deeply affected by AI' – Martha Lane Fox

Critics Review

Code Dependent is the No Logo of the 2020s.
The Times
A penetrating look at how we’re allowing artificial intelligence to infiltrate all parts of society, from policing, welfare, justice and health, to the point where whole lives are being altered – often ruined – by systems that hardly any of us understand
The Daily Telegraph
The power of this book lies in the rich stories it tells of individuals . . . Drawing on interviews from around the globe, this highly readable and deeply important book exposes AI’s sordid underbelly.
The Guardian
Given the topic's ubiquity, it is refreshing when a new perspective comes along. And Code Dependent is just that, making it a must-read for those struggling to reckon with the AI revolution.
New Scientist
Every chapter in Code Dependent shocks . . . Simultaneously a thoughtful introduction and a deep dive for anyone who already knows quite a lot about AI, or thinks they do
The Irish Times
The stories in Code Dependent are wonderfully varied . . . Through a series of vivid, dramatically diverse tableaus, Murgia situates Al in the rough and tumble of human society.
Literary Review
There’s nothing like a long plane journey to rediscover the joys of reading an entire book in one sitting and I have just had that pleasure [with Madhumita Murgia's Code Dependent], understanding the dangers of where AI might take us.
Anne Sebba, The Guardian, 'What We're Reading'
Code Dependent is the intimate investigation of AI that we’ve been waiting for, and it arrives not a moment too soon.
Shoshana Zuboff, author of The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Brilliant story telling. Books about AI often put the tech centre stage but Murgia makes you, the human, the hero and sadly often the victim in this fascinating collection of stories about the impact of code on our future.
Marcus du Sautoy, author of The Creativity Code
Murgia explores what the rise of AI means for us as a society by looking at the impact it has on nine ordinary people around the world.
BBC Culture, ‘2024's Most Anticipated Books’
A testament to the power of storytelling in unraveling the complexities of AI. Murgia's profound insights and meticulous research offer a rare and invaluable perspective on the intersection of technology and society.
Azeem Azhar, founder of Exponential View
Provides a much needed corrective to the trendy breathless Silicon Valley insider AI history
Meredith Whittaker, president of Signal, co-founder of the AI Now Institute

User Reviews

Book 4.5
Narration 5.0
4.0
5.0
soundgarden 29/04/2025
5.0
5.0
Praniya Rai 13/05/2024

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