The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, and the Quest for Superintelligence by Sebastian Mallaby
Published in March 2026
Universities are navigating the tricky world of AI. But after reading The Infinity Machine, it’s clear this phase might not last long. Mallaby’s book sparks thoughts on the future of AI, urging us to look beyond the academic bubble. True insights often come from outside higher education’s daily grind.
This book dives into the story of DeepMind, co-founded by Demis Hassabis, who won a Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking work. Before reading it, I didn’t think I’d be intrigued by DeepMind, but Mallaby’s storytelling hooked me. He portrays how the quest for artificial intelligence is more significant than we might realize, especially in academic settings.
Most of us probably recognize DeepMind from AlphaGo and AlphaFold. AlphaGo took the game of Go by storm, while AlphaFold changed the way we understand protein folding—a game changer in science. As generative AI steals the spotlight, developments like AlphaFold offer a glimpse into AI’s real potential.
DeepMind is now part of Alphabet, the parent company of Google. This transition transformed it from focusing mainly on research to producing tools like Gemini, especially after OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022. Despite these shifts, the people at DeepMind are optimistic. They believe this era of generative AI is just a stepping stone toward creating superintelligence—AI that can truly think and reason.
Imagine how AI’s accomplishments in protein science could translate to higher education. What if AI could move past its current limitations? What if it could provide genuine insights and collaboration instead of just generating basic text and spreadsheets?
Looking ahead, could we see AI as reliable teammates in the classroom? A future where AI understands context and offers sound judgment would change everything—from research to student support. As we explore these possibilities, it’s important to stay curious and open-minded about the future of AI in education.
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