📖 5 Books for Reclaiming Your Creative Attention in the Age of AI

We’re currently in the middle of our AI series (find all the episodes here), so I’ve spent the past two weeks sharing thoughtful analyses on AI and creative work.

The reason I’ve been able to put all of this together is that I spent 2025 deep in research and reflection on these topics. I read a ton of books on creativity, attention, and artificial intelligence — and today I want to share my 5 faves with you!

Below are the books that shaped (and reshaped) my perspectives. I hope you enjoy them!1

5 Books for Reclaiming Your Creative Attention in the Age of AI

1. Supremacy by Parmy Olson

This is the book that’s most responsible for my perspective on AI! I really appreciate how Olson traced the rise of Deep Mind, OpenAI and Anthropic side by side. I also learned that the paper/project that invented transformers (the tech that powers AI) was called “Attention Is All You Need” 👀 . Highly recommend this book!

2. Unmasking AI by Dr. Joy Buolamwini

Sooooo much of the conversation about AI centers white men and tech bros. Dr. Joy Buolamwini is the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, and in this book she uncovers “the coded gaze”—which is evidence of encoded discrimination and exclusion in tech products. Such an important perspective! I also recommend Shae O.’s Substack on these themes.

3. The Practice of Attention by Cody Cook-Parrott

Cody’s book isn’t about AI, but it is about how we can reclaim our attention from the internet! I think they say it best that: “In a world that profits and benefits from our distraction, it is a radical act to keep creativity at the forefront of our lives.” Yes!

4. Making Time by Maria Bowler

I had Maria Bowler on the podcast last year (listen in here), and since then she’s become my favorite thinker and interlocutor on the topic of productivity. I am constantly reminded of this paragraph in the introduction of Making Time: “Creative action is a very different animal than productivity. The results of creative action always draw out more life. The result of our productivity is simply more doing.” 💥

5. The Listening Path by Julia Cameron

This is perhaps an unexpected addition to a list about AI and attention. But if you’ve read my book, you know that Deep Listening is a practice that shaped my relationship to attention. I think this Julia Cameron guide is an easeful introduction into building a listening practice. I hope you enjoy it!

Up next, I’ll be reading Atlas of AI by Kate Crawford, which was recommended by Ayana Zaire Cotton in our conversation that goes live tomorrow!

And finally… of course I’d like to suggest my book as an addition to this list!

Your Attention is Sacred Except on Social Media is all about reclaiming our attention from social media, and I think everything I wrote can apply to AI as well. You can purchase a signed copy from my website. 🤗

ALSO — as a reminder, paid subscribers of the Clubhouse have access to the Your Attention is Sacred audiobook as part of your membership! Here’s the post with the audio. If you’re a free subscriber right now, you can upgrade for just $5 to hear it.

🌈 Your Attention is Sacred Audiobook!

Wow, I can’t believe Your Attention is Sacred Except on Social Media has already been in the world for 40 days!

off the grid clubhouseAmelia Hruby, PhD

Thanks as always for your attention and support. If you made it here, I’d love to know:

What books or thinkers have shaped your perspectives on attention, creativity, and AI? Drop a title or link in the comments, so I can grow my reading list!