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Book Reviews

Henry A. Kissinger,  Craig Mundie and Eric Schmidt, Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit
New York: Little Brown and Company, 2024. 288 pp. $15 (cloth).

Reviewed by

Clay Wescott

International Public Management Network; Centre for Governance Studies’ International Advisor 

Genesis offers a comprehensive and contemplative examination of one of today's most transformative technologies. It frames artificial intelligence not simply as a technical revolution but as a force with profound implications for human identity, governance, and morality. The authors argue that artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to redefine society on a fundamental level, much as human consciousness once did. Throughout the book, they skillfully balance AI’s potential to solve global challenges, such as climate change, with its inherent risks, including the erosion of social trust and a challenge to free will.

The book’s central message is a call for caution and foresight. Rejecting both utopian hype and dystopian fear, the authors advocate for proactive regulation, ethical design, and international cooperation. Drawing an analogy to the dawn of the nuclear age, they remind us that humanity often fails to predict the full impact of paradigm-shifting technologies. The work is at its best when it explores deep philosophical questions, such as whether AI should be designed to think like humans or if we should adapt to think more like AI. Toward the end of the book, the authors address the urgent question of how to align AI with core human values. They argue that as AI systems become more autonomous, the risk grows that their decisions could undermine human agency, privacy, and moral responsibility. To counter this, they propose a multi-pronged approach. They suggest designing AI architectures that embed human oversight at every level, ensuring AI remains a beneficial tool rather than an autonomous authority. Furthermore, they emphasize the use of reinforcement learning from human feedback, enabling systems to adapt to human values continuously. Robust legal and ethical standards aim to support this technical approach, ensuring compliance with societal norms and protecting individual rights. However, they recognize the challenge of integrating diverse global standards. Finally, recognizing that values evolve, they advocate for AI systems that can learn and adapt over time, maintaining alignment as society changes.

While the book’s philosophical ambition is its greatest strength, its lack of specificity is its primary weakness. The analysis frequently maintains a lofty perspective, employing prose that can be both abstract and vague. For example, the authors state that AI could push humanity into a new phase of evolution but stop short of providing concrete scenarios of what this means for daily life or social structures. The tangible world does not always connect with these grand philosophical reflections. This vagueness extends to its policy suggestions, where the book is noticeably lacking in substance. The authors repeatedly call for global governance but offer no detailed roadmap for achieving this goal. For instance, the book does not propose which specific international bodies should oversee AI development or how their rulings could be enforced. It also avoids suggesting specific diplomatic strategies to foster cooperation on AI safety between rivals like the U.S. and China. Even its technical suggestions, such as building AI with integrated control systems, are presented without the engineering details necessary to explain how they would function in highly autonomous models. Readers looking for actionable policy or deep technical workings will find the book wanting. It raises the right questions but often hesitates to provide detailed answers, making its call to action feel more like a philosophical appeal than a practical guide.

Ultimately, Genesis serves as a powerful and eloquent warning that complacency is not an option. The authors warn that the greatest danger lies in underestimating AI’s impact or assuming that alignment is a simple technical fix. The book's true value lies in its ability to elevate the conversation, urging all of society to grapple with the moral and existential dimensions of artificial intelligence. While it may lack the concrete details some readers desire, its essential call for ongoing vigilance, adaptability, and commitment to shared human values is both timely and necessary.

Parag KhannaThe Future Is Asian: Global Order in the Twenty-First Century. Orion Publishing Co. 2019. 448pp. $56 (Hard cover).

Reviewed by

Khurshida Khan Trisha

Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh

This bookoffers a sweeping and provocative account of how the global political and economic order is increasingly pivoting toward Asia. Khanna argues that the twenty-first century will no longer be scripted primarily in the corridors of Washington or the skyscrapers of New York; instead, it is being written in the crowded streets of Mumbai, the high-tech corridors of Seoul, and the ever-expanding skylines of Shanghai. Khanna, a renowned global strategy advisor and author, is in a unique position to scrutinize the evolving role of Asia in the international system. He presents a compelling portrait of a world whose center of gravity is shifting eastward—not solely toward China, but toward a constellation of diverse Asian societies whose collective dynamism is reshaping global affairs.

The book is organized into ten chapters and spans an impressive range of themes, including Asian history, political economy, and Asia’s relations with other regions. Khanna moves seamlessly from discussions of China’s infrastructure investments in Africa to the global cultural reach of K-pop, deploying vast amounts of data and a wide array of historical and contemporary references. This breadth reinforces his central “Asia First” paradigm, which he insists should not be reduced to a singular narrative of Chinese dominance.

Khanna lays out his core arguments most explicitly in the opening chapter, ‘Introduction: Asia First,’ while the subsequent chapters largely marshal empirical evidence to substantiate his claims. The central premise is clear: although global attention remains fixated on China, Asia cannot be equated with China alone. Khanna underscores Asia’s internal diversity by noting that of the nearly five billion people living on the continent, only about 1.5 billion are Chinese. Collectively, Asia now accounts for roughly 40 percent of global GDP. While China, through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is reclaiming elements of its historical role associated with the ancient Silk Road—and has surpassed the United States in purchasing power parity—Khanna contends that it will not, and cannot, lead Asia unilaterally. Asian nations, shaped by strong national identities and historical consciousness, are unlikely to accept any form of modern Chinese hegemony.

Khanna’s treatment of U.S. concerns about Chinese neo-colonialism in Africa and Asia is optimistic. While his confidence in Asia’s cooperative potential is striking, it also invites skepticism, particularly regarding whether he underestimates geopolitical risks such as deepening Sino-Russian strategic cooperation.

One of the book’s most distinctive features is its explicit effort to counterbalance Western-centric narratives of world history. Unlike many Western accounts, Khanna adopts an Eastern perspective, weaving together the teachings of the Buddha, the ethics of Confucius, the legacy of the Mughal Empire, and the maritime explorations of China’s Ming Dynasty. This approach, especially prominent in Chapter Two, serves as a corrective to Eurocentric historiography and underscores Asia’s long-standing agency in global history.

In Chapter Three, Khanna introduces the concept of ‘Asianization,’ arguing that while previous centuries were defined by Europeanization and Americanization, the twenty-first century will be shaped by Asia. He traces this process through expanding economic integration across Iran, Pakistan, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia, citing mechanisms such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Bangladesh–China–India–Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM), and ASEAN. He suggests that geopolitical rivalries may paradoxically accelerate ‘Asianization’ rather than impede it.

Chapter Four, devoted to ‘Asianomics,’ highlights Asia’s growing leadership in digitization, artificial intelligence, and startup ecosystems. Khanna points to developments in countries such as Bangladesh and India, alongside China’s advances in AI, to illustrate how technological innovation is reinforcing Asia’s economic momentum. He presents ‘Asianomics’ as a hybrid model that diverges from Western neoliberal orthodoxy by blending state capacity, rapid industrialization, and technological ambition.

Chapter Five turns to the Asian diaspora, particularly in the Americas, emphasizing its expanding economic and cultural influence. Khanna illustrates how diasporic networks—from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to highly visible cultural practices—function as bridges facilitating trade, investment, and innovation across regions. This bidirectional flow reinforces Asia’s global embeddedness.

Chapter Six examines the complex relationship between Asia and Europe, shaped by deep economic interdependence but also by the long-lasting legacy of colonialism. Khanna highlights Europe’s paradoxical stance: admiration for Asia’s economic success coexisting with persistent social and cultural ambivalence toward Asian communities.

Chapters Seven and Eight focus on Asia’s engagement with Africa and Latin America, respectively. In Chapter Seven, Khanna frames Asia’s growing presence in Africa as a strategic, infrastructure-driven partnership rather than a replication of European colonialism. He argues that countries such as China, India, and Japan are fostering pan-African connectivity in ways that are more developmental than extractive, emphasizing mutual benefit between African resources and Asian manufacturing and finance.

Chapter Eight broadens the discussion to South–South cooperation, noting China’s central role as a trading partner for Brazil, Chile, and Peru, alongside Japan’s and South Korea’s high-tech collaborations. Khanna uses funny and sometimes ironic stories to make the point that cultural and educational exchanges add to Asia's soft power.

The ninth chapter, on Asia’s technocratic future, is the book’s most controversial. Khanna advances a clear preference for pragmatic, meritocratic technocracy over liberal democracy, drawing heavily on examples such as Singapore. He suggests that many Asian societies prioritize effective outcomes over participatory politics and that elements of this technocratic ethos are beginning to surface in Western democracies as well.

The final chapter returns to culture, emphasizing the emergence of a shared sense of ‘Asianness’ through popular culture, cuisine, and media—from Bollywood to K-pop. Khanna presents these cultural exports as vital components of Asia’s growing global appeal.

Critically assessed, The Future Is Asian is both stimulating and uneven. Its ambition and scope are impressive, and Khanna succeeds in covering a remarkable range of topics without entirely sacrificing depth. His accessible style, illustrative examples, and occasional irony make the book engaging, and it provides helpful tips for policymakers, students, and researchers interested in Asia’s global role.

Yet tensions remain. While Khanna repeatedly insists that Asia is not synonymous with China, much of the empirical evidence he presents ultimately reinforces China’s centrality. His frequent references to “Asianomics” and “Greater Asia” risk portraying the region as a cohesive unit, downplaying the persistence of strong national identities and political divergences. Moreover, his enthusiasm for technocratic governance sometimes borders on oversimplification, particularly when he labels figures such as Narendra Modi as technocrats despite their overt nationalist agendas.

Ultimately, while Khanna is persuasive in arguing that the future will be shaped in Asia, he pays less attention to the obstacles and contradictions that may complicate that trajectory. The Future Is Asian invites readers—especially those accustomed to Western-centric worldviews—to reconsider where history is being made. Its optimistic vision provides a necessary counterpoint to alarmist narratives in Western media. The future, Khanna suggests, is not merely Asian; it is already unfolding in the crowded streets, digital networks, and cultural spaces of the continent.