The Best Books For Understanding AI

In years gone by, AI (or artificial intelligence) was a concept for sci-fi movies and civilisations of the future.

However in 2025, AI is well and truly part of our everyday lives. In almost every sector, AI is helping push forward innovation, boost productivity and push forward creativity. But what actually is it?

 

What is AI?

 

Ai is a type of computer science that uses algorithms to process, analyse and act independently. Take driving for example, AI is able to understand road networks, sense other cars and follow directions. By combining this with a physical car, AI is able to drive autonomously.

Likewise, an AI that is trained to analyse images might be able to make quicker diagnoses on things like X-rays or other medical images. This means they can be processes quicker and more accurately, freeing up doctors to focus on patients that need them most.

On a smaller scale, AI can be used for things like chatbots, giving people recommendations around what shows to watch or helping people find better products online.

If you’re looking to understand the concept of AI a little deeper, there are tons of books on the subject. Here are some of the top ones that we recommend:

 

Artificial Intelligence: A Guide to Intelligent Systems

 

Artificial Intelligence: A Guide to Intelligent Systems: Negnevitsky, Michael: 9780201711592: Amazon.com: Books

 

Perfect for beginners, this book teaches you everything you need to know about how AI works, how it’s built and how we choose the right one for the job.

With easy to understand language, it’s a great for for anyone looking to understand the fundamentals behind AI.

Read the book here

 

Artificial Intelligence For Dummies

 

Artificial Intelligence For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)): Mueller, John Paul, Massaron, Luca: 9781119796763: Amazon.com: Books

 

If you’re looking for information on a topic, you can be pretty sure a ‘for dummies’ guide exists.

These books explain everything you need to know, from how AI works, to how it’s growing and how code is used to generate it. It’s a great starting point for anyone looking to gain deeper insight into this very relevant topic.

Read the book here

 

 

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

 

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Tegmark, Max: 9781101946596: Amazon.com: Books

 

Max Tegmark explains how humanity is currently at the start of a new era. As AI transforms every area of our lives, it’s more than just a technology – it’s a way for us to redefine life as we know it.

As an MIT professor, Tegmark’s work has already helped people understand how AI works and how we can use it to make our lives better.

Read the book here

 

Deep Learning Foundations and Concepts

 

Deep Learning: Foundations and Concepts | SpringerLink

 

For those looking for more technical information, this book by Christopher Bishop explores how deep learning, a key pillar of AI, works.

It looks at the maths and algorithms behind the work, making it a great (although slightly complicated) explanation into how AI runs and operates.

Read the book here

 

Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans

 

Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans (Pelican Books) : Mitchell, Melanie: Amazon.co.uk: Books

 

In this book, AI researcher Melanie Mitchell talks through everything you need to know about modern artificial intelligence.

The book is full of personal stories, philosophical thoughts and explanations to help readers understand how AI works and what implications it has on our everyday lives.

Read the book here

 

The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World

 

The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World: Domingos, Pedro: 9780465094271: Amazon.com: Books

 

The world around us is changing, as algorithms are learning, adapting and creating more ways to understand all areas of our lives.

Pedro Domingos talks about how machine learning is working towards creating a ‘master algorithm’ – capable of changing how we live, work and operate forever.

Read the book here

 

 

Please note that this page contains affiliate links. While we only recommend products that we believe in, we may benefit financially from any purchases you make.