Review
"In a world growing more chaotic, Alec Ross is one of those very rare people who can see patterns in the chaos and guidance for the road forward. He has an unusual diversity of expertise that allows him to apply multiple lenses to the world's challenges and dream up the kind of innovative solutions that are changing the world."
—Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google and author of The New Digital Age
“A fascinating vision of the future of industry. The Industries of the Future reads like a portable TED conference at which you have been seated next to the smartest guy in the room. The book is filled with glimpses of cutting-edge biotech research, statecraft, and entrepreneurship. Ross writes engagingly, and the book should be compelling whether you follow these fields closely or you still think of Honda as a car rather than a robotics company.”
—Forbes
"The next 20 years are going to be even faster-moving and more transformative than the 20 we just lived through. Predicting exactly what is going to happen is impossible. But thinking systematically and strategically, as Alec Ross does here, about robotics, genomics, and the codification of everything is absolutely critical. Anyone who wants to understand the key forces that are shaping our economic, political, and social futures will benefit hugely from Ross's insights."
—Reid Hoffman, Founder & Chairman, LinkedIn
“It will likely be one of 2016’s most talked about releases, and I predict will take its place alongside other classic tech-and-society books, like Tim Wu’s Master Switch and Jonathan Zittrain’s Future of the Internet. It’s that good. His writing reveals not just where industries are heading, but where entire societies may end up as a result. This is important reading. Ross takes on an enormous challenge of making sense of how new technology is changing the world, and does so incredibly well, by any standard.”
—Medium
"This book is a must read for the rising generation and their concerned parents and educators. Alec Ross brings a far-reaching perspective to bear in illustrating the opportunities to be seized in our changing world—across sectors and the globe—and the kind of preparation that will be important to make the most of them."
—Wendy Kopp, Founder of Teach For America and CEO of Teach For All
“A riveting and mind-bending book. If you want to know how to survive and thrive in the fast-paced world of today and how to anticipate the opportunities of tomorrow’s information age as well as how to solve big mysteries, this is a good place to start.”
—New York Journal of Books
"A lucid and informed guide, even on the most technical issues."
—Financial Times
"A brilliant, captivating description of the profound changes that will be ushered in by advances in robotics, big data, and genomics – and of the implications of those developments for employment, wealth distribution, and global trade. Alec Ross combines an extraordinary understanding of future trends with an equally extraordinary ability to describe those trends and explain what they mean for the world in the decades ahead."
—General (Ret.) David H. Petraeus, Chairman, KKR Global Institute; former Commander of the Surge in Iraq and Director of the CIA
"The Industries of the Future is an engaging, clear-eyed look at the benefits and challenges of the coming wave of global innovation. Alec Ross, with his years of passionate work in the public and private sectors, is uniquely positioned to understand and explain where we’re coming from and where we’re going."
—Arianna Huffington
“How can we prepare our children—and ourselves—to succeed in a world of robotics, globalization, and digitally driven markets? In this valuable book, Alec Ross analyzes what it will take to survive and even thrive. The future is already hitting us, and Ross shows how it can be exciting rather than frightening.”
—Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs and The Innovators
“Well worth reading.... Mr. Ross does a good job of describing the advantages and disadvantages of the third wave, which is just beginning.”
—Washington Times
“Asks big questions to help prepare us for the inevitable, and is an important read for everyone from businesspeople to parents to teachers.”
—TechRepublic
“Ross offers us an articulate, accessible and engaging blueprint for the prosperity of people everywhere.... Whether you are a business executive considering new investments and navigating emerging markets, or an advocate for human rights issues, this book is your guide to the geopolitical, cultural and technological contexts that will impact your work.”
—Global Daily
“A wide-ranging and smoothly written prospectus on the near future of innovation. It’s a whirlwind tour, incisively covering economics, politics, cyberwarfare, genomics, and the complexities of Big Data—among many other things—in language for the layperson interested in what tomorrow could bring.”
—Booklist
“This astute and enlightening book is generous with insight about what the future holds and how best to prepare for it.”
—Publishers Weekly
"Discerning insights on approaching changes to our economic and social landscapes and solid advice on how we should navigate them."
—Kirkus Reviews
“A very readable discussion of what the future might look like.... This book will have a large audience among general readers of business and technology titles and should also appeal to high school and college students, as well as anyone trying to prepare for the economy of the future.”
—Library Journal
“This book is a worthy addition to the near-future canon.... Ross writes well on what he knows and, like an expensive consultant, he knows a lot about a lot.”
—Mob76 Outlook
“Ross expertly weaves stories from his travels into his projections for the future of innovation.... Ross’s book gives a thorough overview of the exciting developments ahead in healthcare, financial services, and technology. For anyone interested in a glimpse of the future, it’s a must-read.”
—Opportunity Lives
“Ross blends storytelling and economic analysis to give a vivid and informed perspective on how sweeping global trends are affecting the ways we live.... This is an essential book for understanding how the world works—now and tomorrow—and a must-read for businesspeople in every sector, from every country.”
—Stevo's Book Review on the Internet
“Excellent for those who are curious about what may happen in the future based on today’s innovations.”
—Sandbox Advisors
“A rigorous and revealing exploration of the industries that will drive the next 20 years of change to our economies and societies.”
—Blogging on Business
About the Author
Alec Ross is one of America’s leading experts on innovation. He served for four years as Senior Advisor for Innovation to the Secretary of State. He is currently a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Johns Hopkins University and serves as an advisor to investors, corporations, and government leaders. Ross lives in Baltimore with his wife and their three young children. He is the author of The Industries of the Future.
