Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark

In Life 3.0, MIT professor Max Tegmark explores the potential futures shaped by artificial intelligence — from AI’s near-term impact on jobs and laws to long-term questions of consciousness, ethics, and cosmic meaning. He frames life in three stages: Life 1.0 (biological evolution), Life 2.0 (cultural evolution), and Life 3.0 (when beings can redesign their software and hardware) — and digs into what it means for humanity when we reach that stage.

The book raises tough but critical questions: How do we ensure AI behaves in line with human values? Can societies adapt to rapid automation without leaving people behind? What are the risks of superintelligence, autonomous weapons, or goal misalignment? Tegmark balances optimism with realism, giving you tools to think deeply (and act wisely) in our AI future.

Why You Should Read It

If you’re into tech + philosophy, this is your deep dive project. It’s not just about what AI can do, but what we should let it do. Good for sparking conversations, guiding policy thoughts, or just prepping mentally for a future where machines are basically our peers.