Published on: June 20, 2023  Updated on: February 14, 2024

10 Must-Read AI Business Books: Embracing Artificial Intelligence

Author: Inge von Aulock

Reading, library book and woman student with a smile about learning, books and college study. Unive.

As business leaders, there is a constant turnover of new trends, software, and innovations to keep up with. Adjusting business processes to align with these is essential to staying relevant and current. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is not a sci-fi concept, although admittedly, it seems like one. But it is a remarkable technology that is revolutionizing the whole world, and businesses are no exception. 

Being adaptable is a must, and if you aren’t open to new possibilities, you could be selling yourself short. 60% of business owners said they believe AI would improve productivity, and 42% feel that adopting AI would streamline processes and help with business decisions. 

Companies must develop a clear roadmap and prepare for this incredible journey which can be done by collaborating with AI experts with valuable insights and using the masses of content available to help you on your way. By implementing cutting-edge AI technologies, you can open your business to great opportunities. 

AI can feel daunting for new business ventures and startups; even bigger businesses may feel out of their depth. With so much information out there, it can be overwhelming to know where to look. 

So to ensure you don’t become a confused business leader in a bookshop corner, spending money on loads of books that aren’t right for you, keep reading for our lists of the best artificial intelligence books in business to help you get started.

What is AI, and what can it do for your business?

Okay, so you’re thinking about using AI in your business? Great, but AI is a very broad term. So what does it actually mean, and what can it do for you? 

Put simply, AI is a technology developed to do what humans do, but faster and better. Although AI can take over some human tasks, despite common fears, AI isn’t meant to replace humans and is more to make it easier for us to do our jobs or save us some time and effort. We need to work towards a human future by learning about artificial intelligence.

AI works by using machine-learning software and intuitive algorithms to carry out automated tasks. Specific needs will vary from business to business, but some AI technologies can be helpful for most businesses, and some benefit healthcare, finance, and marketing. Below are a few areas AI can help with.

  • Customer service: AI is probably most known for its customer service abilities; with the use of chatbots, businesses can communicate in multiple languages and allow customers with simple requests or FAQs to be dealt with quickly and efficiently, increasing customer satisfaction and allowing time for humans to deal with the complicated customer issues. 
  • Boost sales: AI software can be used for sales forecasting. The technology can analyze data and enable you to understand consumer behavior and predict and avoid problems to increase sales and grow your business.
  • Security: Keep your company and customer data protected. AI uses machine learning technology to quickly analyze threats such as malicious files and suspicious IP addresses to reduce risk. Security breaches can be a huge deal within a company; with AI, you can minimize this risk and take control.
  • Marketing: AI can be used for marketing purposes and to help understand consumer patterns, analyze competitors and produce content using search engine optimization (SEO).
  • Repetitive tasks: Using AI to carry out tedious and repetitive tasks can free up valuable time and energy to allow employees to focus on other jobs that may require more attention. AI technology can effectively read and categorize data using automated systems and eliminates human error. 

These are just a few ways AI can help your business. And there are lots more for you to discover. Once you have got to grips with a general understanding of AI and the world of data science, you can start to venture into more complex or specific subjects tailored to your business needs. 

'Top Ways Business Owners Use Artificial Intelligence'Customer service: 56%Cybersecurity: 51%Digital Personal assistants: 47%Inventory management: 46%Content production: 40%Product recommendations: 35%Accounting: 30%Supply chain operations: 30%Recruitment and talent sourcing: 26%Audience segmentation: 24%

Source

AI can be used in many business sectors as AI’s possibilities are manifold. With constant development and innovation, finding AI technology that will work for you is easy. 

One of the best ways to dive into AI is to get a good informative book. There’s an endless number of articles and videos published online to introduce you to AI, but sometimes it can be difficult to filter out all of the noise. 

Books allow you to make notes, mark important pages, and refer back to them instead of losing your tab or website page. And sometimes, it’s nice to take a break from screens. 

When it comes to AI books in business, several key topics are covered, including the general aspects such as software and how it works and the role of data scientists, the impact of new technologies, and the future of AI.

So with that, listed below are some great books to provide you with a better understanding of combining business and AI. Regardless of your business or its needs, there’s something for everyone. 

Books for total AI beginners 

These two books for beginners are not specifically focused on AI in business. Still, for AI newbies, it’s important to develop a general understanding of AI and how it works before getting into the specifics. This can give you a good foundation of knowledge for future endeavors and help you understand other related books.

1. Artificial Intelligence for Dummies

Book Cover: Artificial Intelligence by John Paul Mueller and Luca Massaron

Authors: John Paul Mueller and Luca Massaron

Probably the best place to start if you’re entirely new to this subject is AI for Dummies. This book will provide you with an understanding of AI, explain how it’s used, its technologies and operations, and how it can be implemented in the future. It’s a great first stepping stone into the world of AI. 

2. Machine Learning for Absolute Beginners

Book cover: Machine Learning for Absolute Beginners by Oliver Theobold

Author: Oliver Theobold

Plain English and simple terms are what you’ll find here. Machine Learning for Absolute Beginners introduces you to machine learning technologies and algorithms with clear explanations and visuals to make it easy to understand. 

Best books to deepen your knowledge

Once you have a basic understanding of AI, you may want to deepen your knowledge and develop a real-world understanding by exploring different viewpoints and issues. 

Understanding its technologies and processes is just one aspect. With something that has the potential to completely alter how we live and work, developing a deeper understanding and awareness of its impact and potential issues is invaluable. 

3. Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Book cover: Life 3.0 Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark

Author: Max Tegmark

This New York Times bestseller discusses AI’s most controversial issues and encourages you to think critically. It raises important subjects relating to crime, war, and society and explores AI’s effects and potential issues. 

An example of AI having a negative impact is ChatGPT potentially replacing jobs. As scary as some of this can sound, it’s invaluable to be prepared for the future.

AI books tailored specifically to business

4. Applied Artificial Intelligence: A Handbook For Business Leaders

Book cover: Applied Artificial Intelligence by Mariya Yao, Adelyn Zhou, and Marlene Jia

Authors – Mariya Yao, Adelyn Zhou, and Marlene Jia

This book serves as a guide for business leaders looking to enhance operations by leveraging machine learning and AI technology. It gives an introduction to implementing AI into business to enhance business processes. With this information, you will learn how to lead successful initiatives and access the rewards that AI and machine learning can bring to your business.

5. The Business Case for AI: A Leader’s Guide to AI Strategies, Best Practices & Real-World Applications

Book cover: The Business Case of AI: A Leader's Guide to AI Strategies, Best Practices & Real-World Applications by Kavita Ganesan

Author – Kavita Ganesan

The Business Case gives a brilliant overview of the practical applications of AI to help business leaders use it as a business tool. It offers ideas for launching AI initiatives with real-world examples and case studies, providing business leaders with the best resources without confusing jargon.

6. Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence

Book cover: Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence by Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans and Avi Goldfarb

Authors – Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans and Avi Goldfarb 

How can AI help your business? Prediction machines reveal how prediction is central to our businesses. Prediction tools can increase business productivity, and this book explores how to incorporate AI tools for predictions and decision-making into business operations. 

7. Data Strategy

Book cover: Data Strategy by Bernard Marr

Author – Bernard Marr

Data is a core aspect of any business and offers huge potential when harnessed properly. Find out how to manage, collect and use data with Data Strategy. This book is your guide for learning how to implement AI and deep learning tools for your business to excel in the age of AI.

8. Advances in Financial Machine Learning

Book cover: Advances in Financial Machine Learning by Marcos Lopez de Prado

Author – Marcos Lopez de Prado

This book is like your very own financial consultancy assistant and explores how AI can be used in finance by identifying common industry problems and providing solutions. Advances in Financial Machine Learning will help you understand the latest AI systems and computer science to progress in modern finance.

9. Using Artificial Intelligence in Marketing: How to Harness AI and Maintain the Competitive Edge

Book cover: Using Artificial Intelligence in Marketing: How to Harness AI and Maintain the Competitive Edge by Katie King

Author – Katie King

Marketing is key to driving sales, gaining customers, and creating a brand image. Nowadays, with marketing being predominantly digital and surrounded by strong competitors, it can be difficult to find your niche and stand out amongst the internet noise. To get ahead in the marketing game, AI could be the answer. 

AI can increase efficiency through automated data-driven technologies, and this book will provide you with the ultimate guide for implementing AI into your marketing process. It gives insight into the elements of implementing AI in marketing and discusses ethical considerations and concerns that could come from it. 

10. Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI

Book cover: Human + Machine: Reimagining the Work in the Age of AI by Paul R. Daugherty and H. James Wilson

Authors – Paul R. Daugherty and H. James Wilson

Machine learning, deep learning, and neural networks can be used in manufacturing to result in cheaper and more efficient processes, ultimately leading to higher-quality products. Generative AI detects subtle flaws and improves quality control, which is especially useful in mass manufacturing and robotics.

Deep learning is a technique used in engineering with the aim of the development of materials with superior properties. The most widely recognized examples of this can be seen in Tesla’s self-driving software, which uses AI technology that has been trained using big data to react in real-life scenarios.

Key takeaways

By looking at the material out there, the future of AI in business is really exciting! There’s so much potential waiting to be unlocked. With technology progressing at lightning speed, AI is on track to completely transform the business landscape. 

It’s beneficial to become a bit of an AI researcher and explore resources like the awesome books mentioned above so that businesses can uncover opportunities to integrate AI into their day-to-day operations. 

Hopefully, you are now left feeling inspired and have seen a book that’s spiked your interest, so head over to Amazon or your nearest bookstore and prepare for the future!

Are you intrigued to learn about artificial intelligence? As well as through books, our Top Apps blog will provide endless knowledge on AI.

Author Image - Inge von Aulock

Inge von Aulock

I'm the Founder & CEO of Top Apps, the #1 App directory available online. In my spare time, I write about Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and review apps and tools I've tried, right here on the Top Apps blog.

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