The best books on using AI in business (2026)
These books are for founders, agency owners and small business teams who want to understand what AI can do for their work and how to put it to use. Some take a strategic view of how AI changes competition; others are hands-on guides for the week ahead. Disclosure: we publish one of the books below (marked).
Recommended resource: for the full step-by-step method, The AI Advantage by Manthan Bhendkar (founder of Asendify) covers this in depth: The Playbook for Using AI to Move Faster and Win Customers. PDF, £304.50, instant download.
We have kept each description to what the publisher or book listing says, and we have not ranked them. AI tools change quickly, so treat any book as a way of thinking about the subject rather than a manual for a particular product. If you only have time for one or two, the short guide at the end matches each book to a common situation. Whichever you choose, the useful test is whether it changes one thing you do this week.
Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick
Subtitled Living and Working with AI, this is a practical guide to using generative AI at work, in learning and in everyday life, treating AI as a collaborator. It is written for a general reader, which makes it a good starting point if you have used chat assistants a little and want a clearer sense of where they help and where they fall short.
Prediction Machines by Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans and Avi Goldfarb
Published by Harvard Business Review Press, now in an updated and expanded edition, this book frames AI as a fall in the cost of prediction. From there it builds an economic framework for how prediction shapes decisions, productivity and strategy. It is aimed at executives, investors and entrepreneurs who want a clear way to judge where AI is worth applying. It is about economics rather than any particular tool.
The Playbook for Using AI to Move Faster and Win Customers. £304.50 one-time, instant download.
The AI Advantage by Manthan Bhendkar (our book)
Our book is written for founders, agencies and small businesses that want to use AI to move faster, spend less and win customers. It includes a 30-day plan, a prompt library and templates, so it leans towards doing rather than theory. Other books share this title, so look for the Asendify edition. See what the book covers.
AI for Small Business by Phil Pallen
Published by Adams Media, this book explains the basics of AI and helps small business owners build an AI strategy. It then applies AI across sales, marketing, finance and HR, with the aim of automating work and competing with larger companies. It is part of the publisher's AI Advantage series. It suits owners who want a function-by-function guide they can work through one department at a time.
Competing in the Age of AI by Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani
Another Harvard Business Review Press title, this one examines how AI-centred companies build new operating models that change how they create and deliver value. It is written for leaders of both digital and traditional firms, and it suits readers who want to think about how their business model, not only their daily tasks, might need to change.
Human + Machine by Paul R. Daugherty and H. James Wilson
Subtitled Reimagining Work in the Age of AI, the updated and expanded edition draws on research with around 1,500 organisations and adds a chapter on generative AI. It describes new roles that combine people and machines and sets out principles for running an AI-driven business. It suits managers redesigning how their teams work.
How to choose
- You are new to AI and want a sensible overview: start with Co-Intelligence.
- You run a small business and want to act this month: The AI Advantage and AI for Small Business are the most hands-on.
- You make strategic decisions about where to invest: Prediction Machines and Competing in the Age of AI.
- You manage a team and are changing how work gets done: Human + Machine.
More playbooks on other topics: Asendify Books
The Playbook for Using AI to Move Faster and Win Customers. £304.50 one-time, instant download.