A book titled 'What You Need to Know About AI' by James Wang, featuring a cover with robotic and human hands reaching towards each other against a digital background with sunset scenery.

Understand what’s going on beyond the hype

What is AI, really—and how will we prepare for it?

Reid Hoffman, Cofounder of LinkedIn and Inflection AI

“Understanding AI is a daunting task… This book offers a great starting point for those worried they’ll never catch up.

Ashok Goel, Professor of Computer Science at Georgia Institute of Technology

“… easy to read yet captures some of the tough issues at the dawn of the age of AI.”

About the Author 

James Wang speaking or explaining, gesturing with his hand. Behind him is a colorful banner with the text 'SXSW 2025' in large black letters.

James Wang is a technologist, investor, and writer with over a decade of experience in AI and deep tech. He is a general partner at Creative Ventures, an early-stage deep tech fund backing breakthroughs in AI, synthetic biology, and advanced materials since 2016. Previously, he was on the investment team at Bridgewater Associates and worked at Google’s “moonshot” innovation lab, X.

James has served as a board director at start-ups working in AI, health care, and robotics and cofounded Lioness as CTO. He is a regular guest lecturer at UC Berkeley on entrepreneurship and start-up financing. James holds a master’s in computer science from Georgia Tech and an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, where he was a Jack Larson Fellow in Entrepreneurship.

His Substack, Weighty Thoughts, is read by thousands of technologists, investors, and policymakers around the world—offering clear, insightful analysis at the intersection of AI, innovation, and society.