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HBR's 10 Must Reads on AI, Analytics, and the New Machine Age
Intelligent machines are revolutionizing business.
Machine learning and data analytics are powering a wave of groundbreaking technologies. Is your company ready?
If you read nothing else on how intelligent machines are revolutionizing business, read these 10 articles. We've combed through hundreds of Harvard Business Review articles and selected the most important ones to help you understand how these technologies work together, how to adopt them, and why your strategy can't ignore them.
In this book you'll learn
Data science, driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning, is yielding unprecedented business insightsBlockchain has the potential to restructure the economyDrones and driverless vehicles are becoming essential tools3-D printing is making new business models possibleAugmented reality is transforming retail and manufacturingSmart speakers are redefining the rules of marketingHumans and machines are working together to reach new levels of productivity
This collection of articles includes "Artificial Intelligence for the Real World," by Thomas H. Davenport and Rajeev Ronanki; "Stitch Fix's CEO on Selling Personal Style to the Mass Market," by Katrina Lake; "Algorithms Need Managers, Too," by Michael Luca, Jon Kleinberg, and Sendhil Mullainathan; "Marketing in the Age of Alexa," by Niraj Dawar; "Why Every Organization Needs an Augmented Reality Strategy," by Michael E. Porter and James E. Heppelmann; "Drones Go to Work," by Chris Anderson; "The Truth About Blockchain," by Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani; "The 3-D Printing Playbook," by Richard A. D’Aveni; "Collaborative Humans and AI Are Joining Forces," by H. James Wilson and Paul R. Daugherty; "When Your Boss Wears Metal Pants," by Walter Frick; and "Managing Our Hub Economy," by Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani.
Machine learning and data analytics are powering a wave of groundbreaking technologies. Is your company ready?
If you read nothing else on how intelligent machines are revolutionizing business, read these 10 articles. We've combed through hundreds of Harvard Business Review articles and selected the most important ones to help you understand how these technologies work together, how to adopt them, and why your strategy can't ignore them.
In this book you'll learn
Data science, driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning, is yielding unprecedented business insightsBlockchain has the potential to restructure the economyDrones and driverless vehicles are becoming essential tools3-D printing is making new business models possibleAugmented reality is transforming retail and manufacturingSmart speakers are redefining the rules of marketingHumans and machines are working together to reach new levels of productivity
This collection of articles includes "Artificial Intelligence for the Real World," by Thomas H. Davenport and Rajeev Ronanki; "Stitch Fix's CEO on Selling Personal Style to the Mass Market," by Katrina Lake; "Algorithms Need Managers, Too," by Michael Luca, Jon Kleinberg, and Sendhil Mullainathan; "Marketing in the Age of Alexa," by Niraj Dawar; "Why Every Organization Needs an Augmented Reality Strategy," by Michael E. Porter and James E. Heppelmann; "Drones Go to Work," by Chris Anderson; "The Truth About Blockchain," by Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani; "The 3-D Printing Playbook," by Richard A. D’Aveni; "Collaborative Humans and AI Are Joining Forces," by H. James Wilson and Paul R. Daugherty; "When Your Boss Wears Metal Pants," by Walter Frick; and "Managing Our Hub Economy," by Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 15, 2019
376 people are currently reading
1412 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
September 24, 2021
Collection of mildly interesting articles, perhaps of more interest to someone who is less up to date with this particular industry. Two articles stood out to me, "The 3-D Printing Playbook" and "Managing Our Hub Economy". 3-D printing is not something I know much about but I now have a better idea of the current state of it's use in manufacturing and can see how it will enable lean manufacturing. The Hub Economy is interesting for it's network effects as well as how these models can fail.
June 23, 2020
An informative read without being over-technical. It touch bases on various emerging technologies and their present as well as potential impact. A key point all these articles stress upon is -why humans should not be threatened by the adoption of these technologies or assume that their jobs will become extinct.
Read
October 2, 2023Slightly old by the time I read it. Last articles dated 2018. Article(s) on cars didn't mention Tesla! Good points to ponder about using augmented reality in every day life and work.
April 2, 2020
Read a couple of essays from this series. Drones go to work by Chris Anderson is pretty cool. Truth About Blockchain is another good one. The author has strong arguments and a positive outlook on the adoption of blockchain, giving reference to and comparing it with the evolutionary phases of TCP/IP - single use, localized use, substituion, eventually leading to transformation. I'm super excited to experience its wider localization in the near future. I know NYSE and Fidelity and some other companies are testing it out. Will I be alive long enough to witness a broader substituion, based on present (and valid) roadblocks? I'm not certain, but seems very possible. Marketing in the Age of Alexa was pretty thought provoking as well. Marketers now possess greater economies of scope and the possibilities are beginning to be endless. It's a bit scary, considering how powerful and intrusive AI can get and I hope cyber laws and regulatory bodies can keep up.
This Must Read series got me so hyped for the future of technology.
This Must Read series got me so hyped for the future of technology.
October 19, 2023
First off, the good stuff. The book compiles some of the best essays and thought pieces on artificial intelligence, analytics, and their impact on business and society. Most of the pieces are well-researched, methodically presented, and offer insights from leading experts in the field.
The writing style is, as expected, top-notch, with lucid explanations making even the complex subjects digestible for someone like me who doesn’t live and breathe AI. It offers a nice blend of theoretical frameworks and practical implications, something I’ve come to appreciate in business literature.
But, let’s not sugarcoat things too much. There’s a flip side. The big elephant in the room? The rapid pace of the AI industry. While the book provides a foundational understanding, unfortunately, this industry is now moving so fast and furious that the conversations in the book feel really outdated. I mean, tech waits for no one, right? And this isn’t necessarily HBR’s fault. I’m not sure if anyone can write a book on AI these days that won’t instantly feel out of date. It's kind of like trying to take a still photo of a speeding train.
Another bit I felt slightly peeved about was the overlap in topics across different essays. A couple of them treaded similar ground which, while reinforcing certain points, felt repetitive at times. Don't get me wrong, repetition can help hammer a point home, but in a curated selection like this, I’d rather get diverse perspectives.
One of my favorite parts? The book’s exploration of the ethical implications of AI and its wider societal impact. It's not all about algorithms and data sets, folks. The discussion on how businesses can navigate the machine age without sidelining the human element was both enlightening and reassuring. We need more of this balanced narrative in today's tech-obsessed world.
In terms of format, I liked the diversity. There are case studies, analytical pieces, and more speculative essays. This mixture keeps things fresh and engaging. But a minor annoyance was the absence of any recent updates or postscripts. Given the aforementioned pace of change in the industry, a little "Where are they now?" snippet would've been a sweet touch.
If you're dipping your toes in the world of AI and want a solid foundation, this is a decent place to start. But if you're on the hunt for the latest and greatest developments, this book just can’t keep up.
The writing style is, as expected, top-notch, with lucid explanations making even the complex subjects digestible for someone like me who doesn’t live and breathe AI. It offers a nice blend of theoretical frameworks and practical implications, something I’ve come to appreciate in business literature.
But, let’s not sugarcoat things too much. There’s a flip side. The big elephant in the room? The rapid pace of the AI industry. While the book provides a foundational understanding, unfortunately, this industry is now moving so fast and furious that the conversations in the book feel really outdated. I mean, tech waits for no one, right? And this isn’t necessarily HBR’s fault. I’m not sure if anyone can write a book on AI these days that won’t instantly feel out of date. It's kind of like trying to take a still photo of a speeding train.
Another bit I felt slightly peeved about was the overlap in topics across different essays. A couple of them treaded similar ground which, while reinforcing certain points, felt repetitive at times. Don't get me wrong, repetition can help hammer a point home, but in a curated selection like this, I’d rather get diverse perspectives.
One of my favorite parts? The book’s exploration of the ethical implications of AI and its wider societal impact. It's not all about algorithms and data sets, folks. The discussion on how businesses can navigate the machine age without sidelining the human element was both enlightening and reassuring. We need more of this balanced narrative in today's tech-obsessed world.
In terms of format, I liked the diversity. There are case studies, analytical pieces, and more speculative essays. This mixture keeps things fresh and engaging. But a minor annoyance was the absence of any recent updates or postscripts. Given the aforementioned pace of change in the industry, a little "Where are they now?" snippet would've been a sweet touch.
If you're dipping your toes in the world of AI and want a solid foundation, this is a decent place to start. But if you're on the hunt for the latest and greatest developments, this book just can’t keep up.
September 15, 2019
Concise articles on broad subjects around the new machine age. I enjoyed the fact that the book covered multiple technologies and not just big data or AI. The business value potential of 3D printing, augmented reality, drones and blockchain are analyzed in distinct chapters.
If you are looking for a quick introduction to the business side of these exciting technologies this book is certainly a great read.
If you are looking for a quick introduction to the business side of these exciting technologies this book is certainly a great read.
November 22, 2023
Area on AI growing too fast, good as a basic overview on the subject but as I see even this is outdated compared to what has been achieved so far
September 19, 2020
This is an eclectic selection of articles from Harvard Business Review on all sorts of issues loosely related to "Artificial Intelligence" (AI). Even taking into the account that what is most often presented as AI is really various aspects of Machine Learning (ML), this book goes well beyond that in terms of topics are covered. It would be more fair to say that this is a book on various forms of technological disruption that may or may not materialize in the near future (Blockchain and "Hub Economy" for instance.) Nonetheless, most of the pieces are fairly interesting to those of us who grok tech aspects of the business world. A few articles, though, are a little more than glorified puff pieces. The book is also a couple of years old, which makes some of the discussion feel a bit dated. This is the (un)fortunate side effect of writing about the subject that moves incredibly fast. Overall, this book is a mostly enjoyable read, and would recommend it.
June 17, 2020
There is always hype when a new technology emerges. This book helps us discern what is doable from what is impractical.
February 9, 2021
HBR's 10 must reads series is one of the best collection of books I've come across. HBR themselves compile a collection of 10 really impactful essays on certain topics, pertaining to management, business strategy, technology and the works.
This book was centered more along the coalition of business and technology's integration in the 21st century. Not only are the essays relevant to the modern timeline, they're also extremely visionary in their approach. With topics ranging from Digital Personal Assistants to understanding upcoming fields like Blockchain and Cloud Computing, this book covers a wide spectrum maintaining a consistent style of writing that doesn't make them seem too overwhelming, while at the same time, educating the reader about the topic to a good extent.
One of the standout features is a small section where they list, in a bulletin format, the various points of discussion, which adds some structure to the article.
Some of the articles are really eye opening, specifically the ones about, Shift from Pull to Push Marketing to better sell products on Personal Assistant platforms, A new era of Blockchain, Virtual Reality's influence in the future are just some of them.
A mix of authors for each essay reduces the monotonous tone some non fiction books have. All in all its a great read, the content is easily relatable and understandable for people of all age groups.
This book was centered more along the coalition of business and technology's integration in the 21st century. Not only are the essays relevant to the modern timeline, they're also extremely visionary in their approach. With topics ranging from Digital Personal Assistants to understanding upcoming fields like Blockchain and Cloud Computing, this book covers a wide spectrum maintaining a consistent style of writing that doesn't make them seem too overwhelming, while at the same time, educating the reader about the topic to a good extent.
One of the standout features is a small section where they list, in a bulletin format, the various points of discussion, which adds some structure to the article.
Some of the articles are really eye opening, specifically the ones about, Shift from Pull to Push Marketing to better sell products on Personal Assistant platforms, A new era of Blockchain, Virtual Reality's influence in the future are just some of them.
A mix of authors for each essay reduces the monotonous tone some non fiction books have. All in all its a great read, the content is easily relatable and understandable for people of all age groups.
November 7, 2024
"AI can support three important business needs: automating business processes, gaining insight through data analysis, and engaging with customers and employees."
The New Environment
Over the next decade, smart assistants like Alexa will transform hoe companies sell to and satisfy consumers, and global firms will battle to establish the preferred artificual intelligence platform.
The Changing Behavior
AI assistants will become trusted advisers to consumers, anticipating and satisfying their needs, ensuring that routine purchases flow uninterrupted to their households like electricity, and guiding then through complex buying decisions.
The Strategic Response
Brands will need to shift the focus of their marketing from consumers to AI platforms, seeking to influence platforms in order yo get preferential positioning on AI assistants.
The New Environment
Over the next decade, smart assistants like Alexa will transform hoe companies sell to and satisfy consumers, and global firms will battle to establish the preferred artificual intelligence platform.
The Changing Behavior
AI assistants will become trusted advisers to consumers, anticipating and satisfying their needs, ensuring that routine purchases flow uninterrupted to their households like electricity, and guiding then through complex buying decisions.
The Strategic Response
Brands will need to shift the focus of their marketing from consumers to AI platforms, seeking to influence platforms in order yo get preferential positioning on AI assistants.
January 1, 2025
Listened to this in audiobook format, was pleasantly surprised.
A brief, detailed look at the variety of ways AI can be utilized in the business world in regards to optimization of organizations, usefulness towards certain tasks, and debunking certain nonsense assumptions that continue to crop up where ever AI is found.
I found the multiple viewpoints helpful as each came at the topic from a different angle and didn't overstay its welcome. Key terms and processes were well described and defined, to the point where this could be considered an AI 101 primer on the topic. It certainly isn't new- five or so years out of date at the time of this review- but much of the basics are the same.
Strongly recommend to anybody who feels thrown by all the newfangled technology and wants a rundown from working professionals.
A brief, detailed look at the variety of ways AI can be utilized in the business world in regards to optimization of organizations, usefulness towards certain tasks, and debunking certain nonsense assumptions that continue to crop up where ever AI is found.
I found the multiple viewpoints helpful as each came at the topic from a different angle and didn't overstay its welcome. Key terms and processes were well described and defined, to the point where this could be considered an AI 101 primer on the topic. It certainly isn't new- five or so years out of date at the time of this review- but much of the basics are the same.
Strongly recommend to anybody who feels thrown by all the newfangled technology and wants a rundown from working professionals.
February 19, 2023
The book is an idea generator and can enable strategic thinkers shape the future.
The first chapter is the best and is a must read.
Some chapters (especially the one on Virtual Reality) speak only about positives. They do not care too emphasise the challenges in building VR.
There are some foundational yet valuable tips on how to build customers trust.
The book also offers insights on how AI and developing technology can offer competitive advantage to companies.
To win, Entrepreneurs should consider both substitution and new applications opportunities.
In the last chapter, the author shows valour and openly speaks about the threats posed by tech giants. It further says how these giants could take social responsibility or will die in the long run.
The first chapter is the best and is a must read.
Some chapters (especially the one on Virtual Reality) speak only about positives. They do not care too emphasise the challenges in building VR.
There are some foundational yet valuable tips on how to build customers trust.
The book also offers insights on how AI and developing technology can offer competitive advantage to companies.
To win, Entrepreneurs should consider both substitution and new applications opportunities.
In the last chapter, the author shows valour and openly speaks about the threats posed by tech giants. It further says how these giants could take social responsibility or will die in the long run.
July 26, 2019
A short, diverse selection of articles on emerging technologies. For abstract technologies, the descriptions of developing business models can be very good, It describes the foreseeable impact they will have. It is also very interesting to consider the shifting implications for business strategy. The articles are a little uneven, one made bazaar use of acronyms and they all had very different scopes. I thought AI would be a theme for most of the book but it wasn't. The diversity helped make the book very stimulating and I would highly recommend it for anyone interested in technology.
January 9, 2024
The articles are mostly outdated. It feels weird to read articles on their ‘predictions’ for the world to come when it has a) already happened b) didn’t happen and c) sort of happened but in a different way
Some of the articles feel repetitive, while some are really interesting. Others are quite boring and shallow in analysis.
I wouldn’t go as far to say it’s a boring book but it certainly near to the borderline. But at the very least, I finally understood how Blockchain, TCP/IP and all the acronyms and jargons related to the ‘tech space’ works, albeit vaguely.
Some of the articles feel repetitive, while some are really interesting. Others are quite boring and shallow in analysis.
I wouldn’t go as far to say it’s a boring book but it certainly near to the borderline. But at the very least, I finally understood how Blockchain, TCP/IP and all the acronyms and jargons related to the ‘tech space’ works, albeit vaguely.
May 3, 2025
The book offers a thoughtful and well-curated selection of articles that explore how artificial intelligence and data analytics are reshaping business strategy and decision-making. The essays strike a good balance between accessibility and insight, making complex concepts understandable without oversimplifying. While a few pieces feel slightly dated or speculative, the collection as a whole remains highly relevant, especially for professionals seeking a broad yet practical introduction to emerging technologies and their organisational impact.
April 1, 2019
The book contains 11 articles on different technological domains - artificial intelligence; algorithms; augmented reality; drones; blockchain; and 3D printing. Authors wrote about how these technologies are employed as solutions or enhancements to different industries and companies, including the various approach to understand and deploy them by providing strategies; adoption framework; business model; business process guidelines and related implemented examples.
November 5, 2019
This book was a Best of the Best for the month of November, 2019, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet / Stevo's Nobel Ideas. You can find me at http://forums.delphiforums.com/stevo1, on my Stevo's Novel Ideas Amazon Influencer page (https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevo4747), on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Stevo4747), on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brocksteve/) or search for me on Google for many more reviews and recommendations.
March 14, 2025
Out of date, but mostly interesting bunch of articles on the latest and greatest in technology. Of note were the writings on augmented reality and 3D printing, and both of these prompted me to research further. Interesting how this book puts Pandora ahead of Spotify, which was the case in 2018, but who uses Pandora now? I'm surprised it's still a thing, given the ubiquity of Spotify.
A good read but needs an update and an upgrade.
A good read but needs an update and an upgrade.
October 16, 2020
Okay, just okay - especially now in 2020.
Some articles better than others, largely driven by personal interest. I liked the one towards the end on AI because it cited interesting scientific studies that make one think.
Funny to hear the venerable Michael Porter in 2017 conjecture wildly about "revolutionary AR/VR." It's like a front row seat to the early phases of Gartner's Hype Cycle.
Some articles better than others, largely driven by personal interest. I liked the one towards the end on AI because it cited interesting scientific studies that make one think.
Funny to hear the venerable Michael Porter in 2017 conjecture wildly about "revolutionary AR/VR." It's like a front row seat to the early phases of Gartner's Hype Cycle.
April 23, 2021
Didn't read the whole book but picked articles of interest. Very business-focused (which makes sense given the format). Interesting insights into different models. The fact that some of the articles were sponsored by Google amongst others made me a bit skeptical of the accuracy/objectivity of the facts/opinions presented.
May 29, 2022
I love the article Collaborative Intelligence: humans and AI are Joining Forces by H.James Wilson and Paul R. Daugherty. They gave examples that how humans and AI are collaborating to improve five elements of business processes in all kinds of industries. The five elements are: flexibility, speed, scale,decision making and personalization.
February 13, 2023
More of a skimmer book as it’s broken into different essays on different topics. I wanted to read up on AI and found a couple key takeaways: Start small with AI in business and slowly scale up, and create a list of tasks to designate to AI platforms. AI should also be viewed as a tool to enhance performance, not a replacement for jobs.
August 29, 2023
Great overview of Ai and machine learning possibilities from current researchers, entrepreneurs, and thinkers in this field. I liked the spread of issues, and got a lot of ideas from this set of articles. I will probably read it again in print to see some of the charts and graphics, but you can still get the gist as an audiobook.
January 17, 2024
The book is a collection of good articles on all the latest tech trends. From blockchain, to ai, to 3d printing to open source and platform play.
It’s a good head start on understanding the recent trends and to quickly get a grasp on the underlying benefits. I liked it overall especially the bits where it goes into the challenges and implications related to ethics.
Good read for sure !
It’s a good head start on understanding the recent trends and to quickly get a grasp on the underlying benefits. I liked it overall especially the bits where it goes into the challenges and implications related to ethics.
Good read for sure !
April 4, 2019
Every single article demands that you read them. Curated from established technological knowledge writers. You would be hard pressed not to want to understand some of the most important burgeoning technological techniques that could be foundational for the future.
November 29, 2019
This book was very informative and not too over the top technically. It is broken down more into ten longer magazine articles on unique topics. You could read one article and put it down and not have to worry about reconnecting with the thread of the previous chapter.
January 11, 2020
Intriguing read
This was a great overview of a lot of different aspects regarding technology, obviously AI. I enjoyed learning more about the field and the creative applications that may come out in the future. Good for any business.
This was a great overview of a lot of different aspects regarding technology, obviously AI. I enjoyed learning more about the field and the creative applications that may come out in the future. Good for any business.
March 2, 2020
Here's the mind expanding read I was looking for.
The essays are simply amazing, I keep recommending this to all my friends when we are talking about the future of business.
Go ahead and treat yourself to the future.
The essays are simply amazing, I keep recommending this to all my friends when we are talking about the future of business.
Go ahead and treat yourself to the future.
March 28, 2020
Enjoyable read, for someone newly involved in data, analytics and data driven technology this was an excellent and diverse introduction and also quite useful as we like other organizations seek to build our digital capability and reimagine how we work.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews