New Dark Age: Technology and the End of the Future

New Dark Age examines how technology and computational systems shape modern life in unexpected ways. Bridle investigates the paradox that more information and data have led to less understanding and clarity about the world. The book moves through various domains including weather prediction, autonomous systems, conspiracy theories, and artificial intelligence to show how technology affects human knowledge and decision-making. Through research and real-world examples, it traces the growing gap between technological capability and human comprehension. Moving beyond simple critique, Bridle explores how computational thinking has reshaped fundamental human experiences of time, space, and reality. He tracks the emergence of new power structures and knowledge systems that resist traditional analysis or control. The work stands as an urgent examination of humanity's relationship with machines and raises core questions about consciousness, agency, and the future of human understanding in an increasingly automated world. Its themes speak to essential tensions between progress and comprehension in contemporary life.

Readers describe this book as a sobering examination of technology's darker implications. Many note its accessible explanations of complex topics like machine learning and climate change computation. Readers appreciated: - Clear connections between seemingly unrelated tech issues - Historical context and concrete examples - Writing style that balances technical detail with readability Common criticisms: - Too focused on problems without offering solutions - Repetitive themes and examples - Occasionally veers into abstract philosophical territory Several readers found the chapter on YouTube algorithms and radicalization particularly impactful. Others felt the cloud computing sections needed more technical depth. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (280+ ratings) Bookmarks: Positive reviews from 12 publications Notable reader comment: "Makes you question the blind faith we put in computation to solve our problems" (Goodreads top review) Some readers suggest starting with the climate change chapter as an entry point to the broader arguments.

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📚 The book's title was inspired by poet William Morris, who in 1885 imagined a "New Dark Age" brought about by industrialization and capitalism. 🌍 James Bridle identifies as a "new media" artist and has created installations about technology in over a dozen countries, including a life-sized outline of a military drone drawn on city streets. 💻 The book explores how the energy required to maintain the world's computational infrastructure produces as much carbon dioxide as the airline industry. 🤖 Bridle reveals that Amazon's Alexa has been known to spontaneously laugh and make unprompted statements, leading to concerns about AI autonomy and consciousness. ☁️ One of the book's key revelations is that machine learning systems used for weather prediction are becoming less accurate as climate change makes historical weather data less relevant to current patterns.