A brilliantly original exploration of humanity's intimate relationship with technology, from the emergence of our species to the emergence of AI and beyond.

A Science Book of the Year in The Telegraph

'Timely and wide-ranging . . . ambitious in its scope' – New Scientist

'One of the best books on technology and culture I have read' – Matthew D'Ancona, The New European

'Powerful, profound and completely engrossing' – Michael Bhaskar, co-author of The Coming Wave

In Wise Animals, tech philosopher Tom Chatfield excavates human history to uncover our changing relationship with technology, from the personalized hand axes of our Paleolithic ancestors to the artificial superintelligences of the future.

Drawing on an astonishing breadth of cutting-edge research and historical sources, Chatfield encourages us to rethink everything we thought we knew about technology, and shows how we might deflect the path of technological development towards the long-term interests not only of humanity, but of all life on Earth.

'Tom Chatfield is one of the smartest and most original tech thinkers writing today. Both thought-provoking and startlingly original, Wise Animals is his magnum opus' – Roman Krznaric, author of The Good Ancestor

"Timely and wide-ranging . . . Ambitious in its scope" - New Scientist