By The Book Reviews

Review by By The Books Reviewer

Sebastian Mallaby's "The Infinity Machine" purports to be a comprehensive exploration of Demis Hassabis's journey from a precocious chess prodigy to the helm of DeepMind, a company at the forefront of artificial intelligence. While the subject matter is undeniably compelling, the execution leaves much to be desired.

Mallaby's narrative is replete with exhaustive details about Hassabis's early life, including his meteoric rise in the chess world and his ventures into game design. However, these sections often feel like a tedious recitation of facts rather than a nuanced exploration of the man behind the achievements. The author's penchant for overusing dialogue tags—characters don't simply "say" things; they "confess," "declare," or "reflect"—becomes grating and detracts from the flow of the narrative.

When delving into DeepMind's groundbreaking accomplishments, such as the development of AlphaGo and AlphaFold2, Mallaby provides a surface-level overview that fails to capture the profound implications of these technologies. The book glosses over the ethical quandaries and societal impacts of artificial intelligence, opting instead for a hagiographic portrayal of Hassabis. This lack of critical engagement is a glaring omission in a work that should grapple with the complexities of AI.

Furthermore, Mallaby's writing is marred by a tendency to accept his interviewees' grandiose statements at face value. For instance, he uncritically relays Hassabis's assertion that "doing science is, sort of, like reading the mind of God," without probing the deeper philosophical or ethical dimensions of such a claim. This credulous approach undermines the book's credibility and shortchanges readers seeking a more thoughtful analysis.

In summary, "The Infinity Machine" is a missed opportunity. While it offers a chronological account of Hassabis's life and DeepMind's milestones, it lacks the depth, critical insight, and engaging prose necessary to do justice to such a pivotal subject. Readers interested in a more substantive exploration of artificial intelligence and its pioneers would be better served elsewhere.

Final recommendation: Not recommended.

Recommendation: Not recommended.

written on: 4/9/2026