Prophecy
Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI

Quotes

“Witty and surprising. . . . [Veliz] shows how Big Tech has accrued enormous amounts of wealth and power by promising insight into the future. These modern oracles claim to make us safer, but, she argues, they are doing precisely the opposite. . . . Lively. . . . Rousing. . . . A book like Prophecy—roving, intelligent, irreducibly idiosyncratic—can expand our sense of possibility, starting now.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“[Veliz’s] sweeping account of prediction across history demonstrates why we would do well to approach most forecasts with the skepticism we now show to prophets. . . . The author makes a strong case that since prophecy shapes the future, we need to take the ethics of prediction seriously. . . . [Prophecy’s] insights, provocations and vivid examples are presented with both passion and clarity of thought. Whether or not it changes how you think about prediction, I cannot say, but I am left convinced that it should.”
—The Wall Street Journal

“[An] ingenious, scathing and often profound assault on our contemporary obsession with predictive algorithms. . . . Véliz’s polymathic survey of prediction from the ancient world to the digital age is well timed. . . . Prophecy scorns conventional boundaries of both substance and style. Its citations range from Thales of Miletus to Ted Lasso. . . . Penetrating. . . . Charming.”
—The Financial Times (UK)

“A masterpiece. Prophecy exposes the biggest trick powerful people use to get what they want—and they've been pulling it off for the longest time. Big tech's AI predictions are the power plays in disguise of the ancient oracles and medieval astrologers. Delightfully written, refreshingly original, and masterfully argued for, Prophecy lifts the veil on our forecasting practices. Prophecy is the most important book you will read for years.”
—Roger McNamee, New York Times bestselling author of Zucked

“Carissa Véliz so cleverly deflates the hype that spouts from the prophets of Silicon Valley—and in the process, offers a sharp new way to examine how people exercise power in our world.”
—Karen Hao, New York Times bestselling author of Empire of AI

“At a time of inhumanity and indeed anti-humanity, nothing could be more welcome than this performance of the humanities. We will not make it without philosophy, and this is the sort of philosophy we must have.”
—Timothy Snyder, New York Times bestselling author of On Tyranny

“Some of the best books are those that make you examine that which you take for granted in daily life. Prophecy unravels the many ways prediction has become a mainstay of our existence, and in its own way, a source of power over our lives. A great read that will make you think.”
—Tim Wu, author of The Age of Extraction

“This is a book that will make you see the world quite differently—while also eliciting gasps of recognition. Passionate, erudite and punchy, Prophecy will linger long in the memory.”
—Tim Harford, author of The Data Detective

“Oxford philosopher Carissa Veliz traces the invisible forces that are insidiously manipulating us, stealing our data—and our agency. From the ancient oracles to the algorithms deciding who gets a job, a loan, or even medical care, Prophecy reveals a profound truth: prediction has always been about power. With piercing insight, she exposes artificial intelligence as a “bullshit machine” that fuels a surveillance state, turning probabilistic guesses into self-fulfilling verdicts that threaten our jobs, justice, and liberty. She urges us to fight back, demand better, and embrace the creativity, courage, and uncertainty that makes us truly human. Read this before the algorithms decide you can’t!”
—Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and author of How to Stand Up to a Dictator

“From oracles and horoscopes to algorithms, from dice to data: how we try to predict the future and the risks of the safety we crave. Carissa Véliz explains it with overpowering intelligence and an ironic humor that strips emperors bare. ”
—Irene Vallejo, author of Papyrus

“Véliz exposes the con of Silicon Valley’s coup to define the future. This book serves as a stark warning that we must see through the charade of technological prophecy if we are to reclaim our agency in the age of AI.”
—Christopher Wylie, Cambridge Analytica whistleblower and author of Mindf*ck

“The world runs on predictions, and it always has. Readable and rigorous, Prophecy uncovers how predictions have shaped our lives from ancient Greece to the new oracles of AI, often acting as the avatars of hidden (or not so hidden) power. Written with verve, acuity, and humour, this is essential reading for the times we live in.”
—Anil Seth, author of Being You

“Captivating . . . Véliz elucidates complex philosophical and technological concepts with ease, while covering a vast range of topics. Lively and erudite, this impresses.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred)

“A brisk, lively tour of humanity’s long fascination with foretelling, arguing that prediction and power have always been intertwined. . . . A sharp, engaging, and often unsettling meditation on humanity’s enduring hunger to know—and control—the future.”
—Kirkus