Navigating the AI Literature: Essential Reads and Missed Opportunities

In this AI marketing podcast episode, Dan Sanchez dives into a highly curated list of AI books every marketer should know. Rather than just follow trends on social media or binge-watch YouTube explainers, Dan shares why books remain the most powerful medium for deep learning on AI. He breaks down his top three must-reads for different stages of the AI journey—beginner, practitioner, and advanced leader—and gives bonus recommendations and a few titles to avoid. Whether you're just wrapping your head around AI or you're ready to implement advanced strategies, this episode is your ultimate AI reading guide.

My Favorite AI Tools

• Tella - https://danchez.com/tella
• High Level - https://danchez.com/highlevel
• Zencastr - https://danchez.com/podtools
• n8n - https://danchez.com/n8n

Resources Mentioned

• Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick - https://amzn.to/3HcV75s
• AI Human Fusion by Leanne Shelton - https://amzn.to/45Fiwpi
• The AI-Driven Leader by Geoff Woods - https://amzn.to/45L5XrJ
• Empire of AI by Karen Hao - https://amzn.to/47oUkJ4
• Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson - https://amzn.to/458HKMI 

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Why books still matter for mastering AI
• 01:30 - Dan's book preview-review system for getting the most out of reading
• 03:30 - Book #1: Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick (best intro book)
• 05:00 - Book #2: AI Human Fusion by Leanne Shelton (best for practitioners)
• 06:15 - Book #3: The AI-Driven Leader by Jeff Woods (top pick for leaders)
• 08:00 - Bonus biographies and big-picture books: OpenAI, Elon Musk, Nvidia
• 11:00 - Books that didn’t make the cut (and why you can skip them)
• 13:00 - Upcoming reads on Dan's radar
• 14:00 - How to suggest books or send yours to Dan directly

Would you like me to move on to the next step and write 10 title options for this episode?