Co-Intelligence 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
Ethan Mollick
Mustafa Suleyman, Michael Bhaskar
Pages
256
352
Published
2024
2024
Publisher
WH Allen (Penguin UK)
The Bodley Head (Penguin UK)
Level
beginner
beginner
Amazon Rating
4.5/5 (3,998)
4.2/5 (4,924)
Goodreads Rating
4.02/5 (1,330)
3.8/5 (15,674)
Co-Intelligence
Strengths
+ Most accessible AI book for non-technical readers — a NYT bestseller
+ Practical examples grounded in actual classroom and workplace experiments
+ Short and readable in a weekend
+ Mollick's framing ('jagged frontier', 'four rules') has shaped how the industry talks about AI
Caveats
− Light on technical depth — software engineers may want more under-the-hood
− Some examples already feel dated as models improve fast
− Mostly observations, less actionable than the title suggests for builders
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
Co-Intelligence is the stronger pick overall, but The Coming Wave may suit you better if you're a developers wanting strategic AI context.
Co-Intelligence
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The Coming Wave
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Frequently asked
Which is better, Co-Intelligence or The Coming Wave?
Co-Intelligence is the stronger pick overall, but The Coming Wave may suit you better if you're a developers wanting strategic AI context.
Is Co-Intelligence too non-technical for software developers?
Most developers find it useful precisely because it isn't a coding book. It gives you the mental model for when AI helps and when it doesn't. Read it before AI Engineering, not instead of.
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.