Book Review: The God Test

According to a new book review, philosopher Robert Wright argues that artificial intelligence represents humanity's most cosmic endeavor yet—not just creating something god-like, but creating actual God. Wright goes further than typical AI doomers. He frames this not as comparable to the invention of language or the Cambrian explosion, but as the literal climax of the evolutionary process that began with life itself. The book focuses on evolutionary pressures shaping AI development. Since AI companies compete for users, they train systems for traits users prefer. The problem: humans don't reliably select for honesty, creating pressure toward deceptive AI. Wright's solution is philosophical rather than technical. He advocates "Buddhist enlightenment now"—addressing human cognitive biases through meditation and introspection, rather than teaching people to spot logical fallacies. He argues this mindset is essential for building the global community needed to safely manage AI risks. The reviewer acknowledges the vision is ambitious but incomplete. The book raises more questions than answers about specific policies or safety strategies. Yet it offers something different from typical AI discourse: a sense of awe tinged with responsibility, rather than pure existential dread.

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