Path Dependence
AI has a path dependence problem.
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Books
The Spigot
I keep thinking about how we ended up here.
Read essayBook Review: Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway
Titanium Noir is a noir novel first, set in an interesting world second. World-building and story take a backseat to tone and genre conventions, which is
Read essay2025: My Year in Books
Reading kept me sane in 2025. Between two young children, a hectic travel schedule, and an industry in the throes of transformation, books were the constant.
Read essayThe Same Window For Everything
I've been thinking about how I use AI tools lately. They're clearly useful. What interests me is how the experience feels.
Read essayReview: If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies
by Elizier Yudkowsky and Nate Soares (2025)
Read essayPlayground by Richard Powers
I read most of "Playground" in a rattly old plane as it shook and juddered over the Atlantic and then the vast emptiness of Russia before landing in New
Read essayThe Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor
In times of rapid change, fiction serves as a reflective lens, casting light on current anxieties and offering insights beyond simple commentary. "The
Read essayBook Review – A Philosophy of Software Design by John Ousterhout
“A Philosophy of Software Design” by John Ousterhout is a short and thought-provoking book about practical software development.
Read essayBook Review: “Artificial Intelligence – A Guide for Thinking Humans” by Melanie Mitchell
Melanie Mitchell's book "Artificial Intelligence - A Guide for Thinking Humans" is a primer on AI, its history, its applications, and where the author sees it
Read essayMikel Arteta – A Case Study in Radical Candor
Viewing Mikel Arteta's management style as seen in the documentary series "All or Nothing: Arsenal" through the lens of Kim Scott's book Radical Candor.
Read essayThe Psychology of Money – Morgan Housel
I read Morgan Housel’s “The Psychology of Money” towards the end of last year. I found it an insightful book that took a more personal and nuanced look at
Read essayLess Certainty, More Enquiry
Maria Konnikova is a journalist, writer, and professional poker player. I came across her an interview with her on the excellent Knowledge Project podcast.
Read essayCultivating Range: Lessons for Startups in a Wicked World
I recently read David Epstein’s book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. The book focuses on how to cultivate broad thinking
Read essay4 Waves of AI – And why they matter
I can’t open a newspaper or visit my friendly local bookstore without coming across a think piece about why AI is a *BIG DEAL* and how it changes everything.
Read essayBooks of 2016
I had a target of reading 50 books in 2016. I didn't quite manage to make it. I managed to only read 24. A dismal performance indeed. I read a couple of
Read essayReview: Death’s End by Cixin Liu
Death's End is the final instalment in Cixin Liu's "Three Body Problem" series. I read a lot of science fiction and I am not exaggerating when I say that this
Read essayReview: Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee
I read a lot of science fiction. I find reading science fiction diverting, stimulating and usually a lot of fun. I finish most books in three to five days
Read essayReview: Revenger by Alastair Reynolds
Review based on a copy sent to me by NetGalley
Read essayReview: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
What gives life meaning?
Read essayReview: Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King starts off with a horrendous crime. A man drives a large Mercedes into a group of people waiting to go into a jobs fair. It is an
Read essayReview: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
I read “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” (TLW) in one sitting on a long flight. At the time, it felt like a particularly enjoyable story arc from Star
Read essayBooks of 2015
My target this year was to read 50 books. I didn’t quite make it and finished with 23 books completed. I have a number of books still on “Currently Reading”
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