Novacene vs The AI Con: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Nonfiction
Novacene
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A fascinating new study from the originator of the Gaia Theory, “who conceived the first wholly new way of looking at life on earth since Charles Darwin” (Independent)One of the world’s leading scientific thinkers…
The AI Con
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A smart, incisive look at the technologies sold as artificial intelligence, the drawbacks and pitfalls of technology sold under this banner, and why it’s crucial to recognize the many ways in which AI hype covers for a…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Novacene is the quickest read — about 2 hours vs 5 for The AI Con.
- Novacene has the widest readership — 2577 ratings behind its score.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| Novacene | The AI Con | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.8 (2577) | 3.7 (1850) |
| Hardcover | 3.4 (7) | 3.8 (19) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (10) | 4.5 (12) |
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Reception
| Novacene | The AI Con | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 2577 | 1850 |
| Editions | 9 | 8 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | — |
| Want to read | 5412 | 6740 |
| Reading it now | 295 | 555 |
| Written reviews | 336 | 379 |
| Wikipedia attention | 633 | 1077 |
| Pages | 160 | 288 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Novacene or The AI Con?
Novacene has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Novacene 3.8/5, The AI Con 3.7/5).
Which is shorter to read: Novacene or The AI Con?
Novacene is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Novacene (160 pages, ≈ 2 h 58 m); The AI Con (288 pages, ≈ 5 h 20 m).
Which is harder to read: Novacene or The AI Con?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Novacene: Challenging; The AI Con: Moderate.