AI Engineering versus The Coming Wave.
Both show up on every "best" list. They're not competitors. They're a sequence. Here's which one to read first, and when.
Reviewed by Ashish Sheth · Updated April 2026
Author
Chip Huyen
Mustafa Suleyman, Michael Bhaskar
Pages
532
352
Published
2025
2024
Publisher
O'Reilly Media
The Bodley Head (Penguin UK)
Level
intermediate
beginner
Amazon Rating
4.4/5 (899)
4.2/5 (4,924)
Goodreads Rating
4.4/5 (1,061)
3.8/5 (15,674)
AI Engineering
Strengths
+ Clear, accessible explanations of complex AI/ML concepts
+ Practical and implementation-focused rather than theoretical
+ Well-researched with extensive references to current literature
+ Excellent for software engineers transitioning into AI development
Caveats
− Inconsistent depth: some topics feel surface-level for experienced practitioners
− Limited practical code examples
− Breadth-first approach means some topics lack deep coverage
The Coming Wave
Strengths
+ Insider authority — Suleyman has built the labs he's writing about
+ Bigger frame than most AI books — covers biotech and robotics together
+ Concrete proposals, not just hand-wringing
+ Accessible to non-technical readers
Caveats
− Some readers find the tone alarmist or self-serving (Suleyman runs Microsoft AI)
− Less hands-on than developers might want — strategic, not technical
− Containment proposals are debated and not universally seen as practical
The verdict
Read The Coming Wave first to build foundations, then move to AI Engineering for advanced concepts.
AI Engineering
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The Coming Wave
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Frequently asked
Which is better, AI Engineering or The Coming Wave?
Read The Coming Wave first to build foundations, then move to AI Engineering for advanced concepts.
Is AI Engineering good for beginners?
You need some software engineering experience. It's not a learn-to-code book. But you don't need a PhD in ML either. If you can write Python and understand APIs, you'll follow along.
Is The Coming Wave technical?
No. It's a strategic and policy book aimed at general readers. You won't write better code after reading it. You will think differently about where the field is going.