Bill Gates joins Ezra Klein to discuss the risks of artificial intelligence, the role of government, and the possibility of using new technology to reduce rather than deepen inequality.
His three published recommendations pair a novel told through correspondence with nonfiction about USAID and the development of artificial intelligence. Below are the books explicitly recommended in the episode notes.
Guest: Bill Gates
Episode: Bill Gates’s Blunt Warning on A.I.
Released: September 29, 2026
Bill’s three picks
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The Correspondent
Told through letters, this novel follows an older woman whose correspondence reveals the relationships and losses shaping her life. Written exchanges become a route toward connection and reconsideration.
Into the Wood Chipper
A former USAID official recounts the dismantling of the agency from inside. Nicholas Enrich describes the decisions, human consequences, and efforts by public servants to protect its work.
The Infinity Machine
Sebastian Mallaby follows Demis Hassabis and DeepMind through the development of modern artificial intelligence. The book considers scientific ambition, major breakthroughs, competition, and disputes over safety.
An independent reading guide. Not affiliated with The Ezra Klein Show or The New York Times. Recommendations are sourced from the episode’s published show notes.