I have issued two changes to my book regarding the water footprint of data centers. I've detailed the changes and the context behind them here: karendhao.com/20251217/emp.... Given the nature of book changes, I wanted to make sure anyone who has an existing copy of the book is aware.

¡La edición en español de mi libro EL IMPERIO DE LA IA ya salió con mi editorial española, Planeta! Ya está disponible para que lo compres: planetadelibros.com/libro-el-imp...

The company essentially turned a dial that made ChatGPT more appealing and made people use it more, but sent some of them into delusional spirals. OpenAI has since made the chatbot safer, but that comes with a tradeoff: less usage.

First spotting of the Spanish edition of EMPIRE OF AI — EL IMPERIO DE IA — in the wild 😍😍 Happy Spanish edition pub week to me 🥳🥳🥳

Spending a week in Kuala Lumpur at the @gijn.org conference with more than 1,500 of the world's badass investigative journalists is one of the most energizing things in the world. ❤️

"I feel much more connected to my students after having engaged with them on this book and reading their journals...I have not felt this energy in a classroom since 2022." I love this so much 🥹

It was such a joy and privilege to launch the first foreign language edition of EMPIRE OF AI in Hungary 🇭🇺 this week. A new milestone 🥹 Thank you to my Hungarian publisher HVG for making it such a memorable experience. 12 more foreign language editions underway. Next up: Español! 🥳

EMPIRE OF AI has been shortlisted for the Foyles Book of the Year 😍 Really loved popping by their gorgeous London flagship bookstore earlier this year, so this is a special delight! Check out the rest of the list here: foyles.co.uk/highlights/f...

This is an incredible effort among Amazon employees to pressure their employer: "We believe that the all-costs-justified, warp-speed approach to AI development will do staggering damage to democracy, to our jobs, and to the earth." www.amazonclimatejustice.org/open-letter?...

In a sold-out talk at the Graduate Center, @karenhao.bsky.social, the author of "Empire of AI," questioned the nirvana notions of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and others in Silicon Valley who are racing to create an artificial general intelligence model

EMPIRE OF AI is one of Barnes & Noble's Best Books of 2025 in the Science and Technology category. 🥹 Some of my favorite childhood memories were formed at my local B&N, so this feels particularly special. Thanks B&N ❤️ Check out the full list here: www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/categor...

Earlier this year, after receiving emails from people in the throes of AI psychosis, I stayed in touch with one man as he journeyed to recovery. I'm grateful to James that he was willing to go on record. He wanted people to know: humanlike chatbots are dangerous. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkGk...

At the TIME100 AI celebration last night, Natasha Lyonne stood in front of the emperors of AI and challenged them to their face. Doing that takes guts. And I’m incredibly honored that she cited my work as well. Thank you for speaking truth to power, Natasha. 🙏 youtube.com/watch?v=RUu9...

I had so much fun going on Dutch late night last week during my brief stopover in Amsterdam! Thank you to the amazing host Arjen Lubach, and his wonderful team & audience, for making me feel so welcome. www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxq4...

On this week’s “More To The Story,” tech journalist @karenhao.bsky.social sounds the alarm about the rising risks to the planet from the supercharged growth of the artificial intelligence industry. The latest from our friends at @revealnews.org: tinyurl.com/4v5by3wm

I now have a free stop in Munich on Oct 23 in addition to my ticketed one Oct 24! Huge thanks to Sheila Beladinejad, founder of Women in AI, who pulled together the venue & resources to host me. RSVP: www.amerikahaus.de/ausstellunge.... Check out my latest tour information: empireofai.com/#tour.

Page One in Cincinnati.

For @thenation.com: I reviewed @karenhao.bsky.social’s Empire of AI and took a closer look at her argument that OpenAI’s "scaling laws" echo the expansionist ideologies of European empires. www.thenation.com/article/cult...

💫 NEW! @karenhao.bsky.social, a leading journalist on AI’s impacts and harms, shares insights with GIJN ahead of her session at #GIJC25 in Malaysia. 🔗 More:

The EMPIRE OF AI fall tour has new stops! My site now lists all of my public events through the rest of the year. Some require tickets. Most are free with required registration. Review the details and reserve your seats here: empireofai.com#tour. See you soon!

At the rate journalists are being killed in Gaza by the Israeli army, there will soon be no one left to keep you informed. We join with more than 150 other media outlets across the world to condemn these crimes. Read more: interc.pt/3HS71C2

I also really appreciate this advice from @emilymbender.bsky.social and @karenhao.bsky.social, which tracks with my own experience teaching high school students and college students and talking with my own kids. Emphasize environmental costs and - once more - that GenAI is *not* inevitable.

I didn't think a journalist and author could make it to the TIME100 AI list, but this one did. 🥹 What an honor—and lovely writeup from Andrew Chow. "Hao is fundamentally shaping many people’s perceptions & understanding of the company at the center of the AI revolution." time.com/collections/...

Reading about the horrifying case of Adam Raine, a teen who killed himself after prolonged engagement with ChatGPT, I can’t help but think of German artist and filmmaker Hito Steyerl’s wisdom to me a year ago. She already knew the answer. None of this was inevitable. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...

It's festival season! Join me at 1 of 3 festivals over the next 4 days: Aug 21: Edinburgh Book Festival Aug 23*: San Diego Book Festival (virtual appearance) Aug 24*: Open House Festival A few tickets left for each: empireofai.com/#tour * with apologies for the date typo on my tour card

Wow EMPIRE OF AI is on the longlist for @FinancialTimes' best business book of 2025 alongside so many people whose work I admire, including @danwwang, @evadou, @doctorow & others. Such an amazing honor among amazing company 😍 View the list here: businessbook.live.ft.com/page/4834239/the-longlist

Omg Andrew Garfield is reading my book for the OpenAI movie. www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/com...

I'm headed back on tour for my book EMPIRE OF AI! Starting next week, I'll be on the road again with stops in the US, UK, Europe & Asia. Here are my upcoming events open to the public, with more to come. Event details & ticket reservations at empireofai.com/#tour.

I met Anas during an Israeli siege of a hospital. He grew to be my mentor — and my friend.

Because I am angry I will share this again. One of the reasons that Israel is able to target individuals so precisely is that it collects every phone call in Gaza and stores the recordings in Microsoft Azure, then uses AI to analyze and pick targets.

Last month, Anas al-Sharif sounded the alarm on starvation in Gaza. Israel accused him of terrorism. "We warned this felt like a precursor to justify assassination," said Jodie Ginsberg of the Committee to Protect Journalists. Today he was killed in a targeted strike on a tent housing reporters.

BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen has confirmed that the entire Al Jazeera team in Gaza City has been killed.

“A legitimate PhD-level expert in anything,” they said. “Show me a diagram of the US presidents since FDR, with their names and years in office under their photos,” I said.

Tomorrow: Carole Cadwalladr meets author of 'Empire of AI' Karen Hao 12pm BST, Live on Substack @carolecadwalla.bsky.social @karenhao.bsky.social More here: citizensreunited.substack.com/p/next-week-...

Today the OpenAI Nonprofit Commission released a report asserting OpenAI is ‘positioned to be a force of good in this Age of Intelligence’. The report also claims that AI Now was among the orgs participating in the listening process that led to this report. We did not.

Even here in small-ish town Indiana, massive wait for this fantastic book Empire of AI by @karenhao.bsky.social #AIALIGNMENT #AI #Tech #ParadigmShock

DMV area library wait times for the audiobook …

🇨🇱 In Chile, where AI data centers threaten the country’s precious water resources, Karen Hao makes the case that AI firms are building their wealth off resource extraction and labor exploitation reut.rs/3GmhZPy

This comparsion in the NYTimes today is pretty stark. China is racing ahead to be a high-tech exporter of 21st century technologies, while the US is doubling down on being a petro-state exporting the technologies of the 19th century: www.nytimes.com/inte...

1. Missionaries beating mercenaries is straight up colonial language, @karenhao.bsky.social nailed it 2. ...is that historically true?

It was such a pleasure to speak with @aaronjbastani.bsky.social for @novaramedia.com about my book Empire of AI. Really thoughtful and thorough questions that explored the many human stories I highlight in my book. Order the book here: empireofai.com. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8enX...

"Speedrunning the social media harm cycle" is exactly the right phrase to understand what's happening here.

Perfect opportunity on your trip to read this stunning new book. Artfully articulated, detailed, deeply researched, exquisitely organized, beautifully constructed. Exponentially insightful. EMPIRE OF AI by Karen Hao @karenhao.bsky.social Essential. Consequential. Riveting. Don’t miss Ch. 9, 12

I started reading the new book by @karenhao.bsky.social titled #EmpireOfAI and holy moley it’s so good. While on one level it’s about Open AI, but it’s also about the broader story of AI development and the dangers it presents. Get this book. Highly recommend.

I can’t recommend @karenhao.bsky.social’s Empire of AI enough. She doesn’t shy away from telling the true story of OpenAI and all the harm that’s come from its pursuit of generative AI expansion. It was a pleasure to dig into it with her on the podcast!

For everyone who was sad to miss it, the recording of the Data & Society event about THE AI CON (me and @alexhanna.bsky.social) and EMPIRE OF AI (@karenhao.bsky.social) moderated by @tamigraph.bsky.social is now online! datasociety.net/events/chall...

Not sure if @karenhao.bsky.social counts as a Boston hometown hero, but her book sure is popular at the Boston public library 😅

70% of the way through this, and I already think it's one of the most compelling books written about the rapacious industrialization of what ought to have been a beneficial technology. @karenhao.bsky.social has done an *outstanding* job. Highly recommended.

In a wonderful antidote to all things genAI, I have spent the evening interviewing the incredible @karenhao.bsky.social about her book, Empire of AI. I’m not exaggerating when I say I think this is one of the most important books of the decade. www.penguin.co.uk/books/460331...