A fun read. It scratched the surface on a number of elements in its worldbuilding that needed a bit more explanation and would have added to the overall story.

In the not-so-distant future, Pedro Domingos takes us on a wild ride through a Silicon Valley that’s both eerily familiar and absurdly exaggerated. His novel, 2040, blends satire, technology, and political chaos into a delightful cocktail that leaves readers both amused and contemplative.

In 2040, the United States faces an unprecedented presidential election. The Republican candidate? An AI named PresiBot, created by the tech startup KumbAI. The Democratic candidate? A fake Native American chief who aims to abolish the country altogether. As the campaign unfolds, we witness a collision of AI algorithms, culture wars, and good old-fashioned human folly. There’s a lot of human folly.

Domingos masterfully captures the zeitgeist of our times. His portrayal of Silicon Valley’s excesses, from self-driving avocado delivery drones to blockchain-powered dating apps, is both hilarious and scarily plausible. The tech jargon flows effortlessly, making you wonder if you’ve accidentally stumbled into a startup pitch meeting. It’s perhaps unsurprising that Domingos possesses such knowledge of both the culture and technology about which he writes, as he himself is a prominent AI researcher. I like when people write fiction from a place of academic authority, like Fred Hoyle, when he wrote The Black Cloud; one of my favourite novels.

The characters are equally memorable. PresiBot, with its algorithmic charisma and data-driven campaign promises, steals the show. The fake Native American chief, Chief Raging Bull, provides a satirical mirror to our obsession with identity politics. And let’s not forget the eccentric venture capitalists who fund KumbAI; each one more bizarre than the last.

While the novel’s humour is its strongest suit, it occasionally veers into caricature. The satire can be heavy-handed, leaving little room for subtlety. And yes, the ending, followong on from the grand showdown between PresiBot and Chief Running Bullshit, feels a tad too neat. It’s as if Domingos wrapped up all loose ends with a bow, leaving readers craving a messier, more unpredictable resolution. This might be where suspension of disbelief finally gives way.

And here lies the rub. A five-star review demands that extra spark—the unexpected twist, the lingering question, the emotional gut punch. 2040 delivers on wit, but it shies away from profundity. Is it a neater ending than we deserve? Perhaps if Domingos had dared to leave a few more threads dangling, we’d be talking about a masterpiece.

2040: A Silicon Valley Satire is a must-read for anyone who chuckles at tech bros, eye-rolls at political absurdity, or secretly fears that AI might take over the world. It’s a clever romp through a near-future America that’s both hilarious and unsettling. Just don’t expect it to change your life—unless, of course, you’re an AI running for president.

Politics is a crazy world…a ridiculous world at times. And indeed that’s the case in Pedro Domingos’s satirical new book 2040. And though the crazy presidential election taking place in the book is meant to be wildly unbelievable…the way things are these days the only truly unbelievable thing might just be the date he has chosen for this election. He’s a bit early, but probably by only a few cycles. With the circus that politics seems to be these days the idea of an AI running against a fake Native American honestly almost…almost…feels like it could happen at any minute. There is definitely plenty to like here, but it’s surface stuff. I honestly would have liked a deeper dive into what the heck has happened to bring the world to the point where these are the two candidates from the major parties. I think that would have been at least as interesting as the crazy campaigning and would have enhanced the story all the more. This is a very quick and clever read, just would have liked it fleshed out a bit more. 3.5 stars. I’d like to thank Book Baby and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of 2040.

This was a quick and easy read that I gravitated to as I currently live in the Silicon Valley and have a background working in politics. The story revolves around the 2040 presidential election and focuses on PresiBot, the first AI candidate to run for the nation’s highest office. Much of the action deals with trying to win the election while also dealing with numerous bugs that plague PresiBot’s humanesque robot form, while both skewering the state of politics in the United States and delivering a cautionary tale about AI and huge tech conglomerations.

I know this was billed as satire, but I did feel that the Chief character was so over the top that he became offensive. I don’t think that was a necessity to get the point across that these two candidates make a disgusting charade of running for president (and to cleverly poke fun at the disfunction of American politics).

Overall, a fun, quirky read especially if you are interested in politics or tech.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy.

📚✨ BOOK REVIEW: 2040 by Pedro Domingos ✨📚

*This book was provided as an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an unbiased book review*

Publish Date: August 20, 2024


This was quite the comedic political ride! This book was funny and entertaining, much like a late-night comedy skit. Think more MAD TV than Saturday Night Live because it wasn’t afraid to go “there.”

For what this book intended to be, I’m giving it four stars.⭐⭐⭐⭐ The story was messy in the best way, like reality TV messy, and it kept me hooked. The main characters, Ethan, Arvind, and Presibot, were engaging, but I found myself wanting to know more about the other characters, especially the Democratic candidate. The tech jargon didn’t bother me, even though I didn’t understand most of it added to the dystopian vibe of the story.

I did have to pay close attention to keep track of who was who, as many characters are introduced throughout the book. This actually made me wish the author had delved deeper into their backgrounds. For example, there was a scene with the campaign managers and when it ended abruptly, I was like “Wait! I need to know more!” Despite the chaos because there is a lot going on in this book,I believe it helps to keep the plot moving along swiftly.

I could totally see 2040 turning into a movie or at least having a part II of the book because of how the novel ended. It was a fun, wild read that kept me entertained from start to finish.

In an election year with an attempted assassination of one party's nominee and a last-minute replacement of the other party's top pick, you wouldn't think things could get any weirded. Unless, of course, you put an AI against a man pretending to be Native American. The plot is as straightforward (and zany) as that. The thing with this story is that it is exactly what it purports to be. The author takes the story to relatively logical conclusion and it is an interesting journey along the way. The storytelling seems a bit uneven in places, but overall it is a breezy and entertaining read.

“2040” by Pedro Domingos offers an intriguing glimpse into the future of technology and society, weaving together predictions with current artificial intelligence and data science trends. Domingos’ expertise in machine learning shines through, providing readers with well-informed, thought-provoking, and plausible speculations. However, the book sometimes struggles with a dense academic style that may alienate readers not deeply versed in tech jargon. Furthermore, some of the predictions seem overly optimistic or not fully explored in the context of broader societal impacts. While “2040” is an enlightening read for enthusiasts of technology forecasting, its accessibility and narrative cohesion leave room for improvement. Three stars for its insightful, yet occasionally impenetrable, look into the future.

2040 follows a bizarre dystopian future in which two candidates face off to become the President of the United States. For the republicans, a dodgy AI controlled robot - which is only a glorified test dummy, designed to “unite” America. For the democrats, a white man pretending to be Native American with the overall aim of disbanding the United States and destroying the constitution on which it was founded. This dystopian world is essentially run by large tech companies, with segregation by race back in place with designated housing “zones” and guards patrolling the streets.

An odd amalgamation of the works of George Orwell and satirical comedy, this book is a short and enjoyable, if at times infuriating, read.

My only desire is that the book had slightly more exposition, I read it in just under 2 hours and would have liked to have seen maybe a bit more depth to the backgrounds of this dystopian society.

The setup: A white man making his drop of Native American ancestry his identity and a robot run for president
The punchline: sounds like something that could actually happen in America doesn't it?

If you find the movie "Idiocracy" hitting a little too close to home, think Brave New World's premise of control through pleasure is scarily accurate, or find yourself rolling your eyes at current American politics--- then this novella is right up your alley. Our cast of characters aren't root-for worthy or even multilayered (especially the women) and it is all over the top at moments--but it does make you think, what's the best way forward? How do you right every wrong? SHOULD we let AI direct us to a better future? I found myself wanting to learn more, so I'll probably tap into some of Domingos' essays for a deeper dive into the world of AI.

Thank you Netgalley for access to the ARC!

An over-the-top blend of satire and parody! Almost too close to reality, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry...

We're going through another colorful election season this year, but this novel envisions an even more colorful match-up: an extremist with a fraction of Lakota heritage calling for the end of the United States and a return of the land to indigenous people, and an embodied AI robot. Never mind Republican and Democrat, because the major players in the story are not really the candidates. The central characters are the giant tech companies, including Happiness, which sports a business model based on the Seven Deadly Sins.

The story is well structured and hangs together, even though the events are a mad romp of violent craziness. Parts of the dystopian fantasy of the future will ring true for current experience, and all of it will be a thought-provoking read.

A couple of caveats: some readers will find that the tech jargon makes the book harder to understand, and the ending is unquestionably a cliffhanger. This might make you eager to read the second installment when it arrives, or unsatisfied with this novel. It probably depends on your personality. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

It was a fantastic quick read! Humorous, yet at times, a bit too realistic. Wow! Just loved it. It was a great read, especially in this election year.

I think everyone should read this one! It is just such a fantastic, light-hearted, humorous read!

Highly recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley and Book Baby for the ARC. 2040 was such a fun read. I loved the premise of an AI running for president. The book was really funny and also a bit scary as it is closely related to the current state of society, politics, and AI.

Fast read of a frightening future in American politics. Can AI save us or are we doomed to factionalism and corporate manipulation? Does a democratic republic work as a model when the world is burning?
This is a cohesive work of fiction done as a sarcastic mirror of our current state of affairs. I enjoyed it.

What a scream - I absolutely loved this! Yes, it's a bit farcical, and there's satire, and yes, there's lots of irony, but it's such a fun read.

So, it's 2040 in the US and the electoral race is between PresiBot, an AI and a fake native american chief who's 1/2054th Lakota and want's to abolish America The opening scene is the presidential debate betweeen the two candidates and works as an excellent introduction to the main characters, plot and the policical/social attitudes of 2040

As the book progresses, PresiBot's creators are coming up with more and more desperate attempts to make PresiBot credible, at the same time fighting off a buyout bid and for one of the main characters, Presibot creator and tech startup CEO, Ethan Burnswagger, escape from a ghetto in dystiopian San Francisco.

I was prettyt sceptical when I saw the write up, then I clicked on the link to a sample of Chaper 1 and I was instantly hooked. The novel moves on at a fast pace, has a cast of characters that are often hilarious and I'm sure are based on real people, although libel laws stop me from saying who. I read some of the book before going to bed, then tore through the rest before starting work the next day - it's just so funny. I'd say you shouldn't take it seriously, but looking over the pond at the moment...

I'll leave you to judge for yourself. Final verdict - very, very, highly recommended, and a hilarious antidote to the mad world we're living in - I just hope 2040 doesn't turn out the way it's portrayed in this book

I picked this up purely on a whim, and honestly, it was better than I expected. That said, it’s certainly not for everyone, as some - admittedly ridiculous - current trends are turned up to 11, while other parts of the story seem to take a step back from satire to portray something more genuine. While I personally would prefer the satire to be subtler, I didn’t mind the over-the-top tone as such, but the switch between the two was at times jarring.

The ending was swift - if we can call it an ending rather than the beginning of a new chapter, and in my opinion raised more questions than it gave answers. Overall, this was certainly entertaining and did a decent job painting a picture of what a technologically advanced yet polarized society might look like.

3.5 rounded up to 4, for the sheer amount of laughs.

This was a really clever idea which I was excited to read. A dystopian political campaign with some promising dissection of both right-wing and left-wing American politics. I enjoyed the elements of what had come to pass hypothetically between now and 2040, such as animal rights and AI recognition, both topics debated nowadays.

The political set up at first felt too parodied (though arguably American politics feels that way in real life at times) and I found I had to suspend disbelief a little too often whilst reading. The lack of context felt jarring, we do not know who is currently president in this story and so it was hard to decide which party would be to blame for the living conditions and segregation described in the book.

The story itself felt a little rushed towards the end, with a neat ending which did not feel like it did justice to the concept. I would have liked to see more about the personal relationships within the book, the triangle between Emma, Arvind and Ethan for example. Knowing more about the motivations for these characters would have added a lot to the story or explained behaviour beyond just 'going mad'.

This was a quick read and was thought provoking but overall it felt too rushed for the ambition of the initial idea.

Free review copy provided by netgalley.