The Coming Wave, Mustafa Sulayman
We’re not ready.
That’s the uncomfortable truth Mustafa Suleyman opens with in The Coming Wave—a sharp, urgent warning from the heart of Silicon Valley. This isn’t a book about tech. It’s a manifesto about power, control, and the speed at which AI and synthetic biology are outrunning our systems, laws, and ethics. For Iranian and Arab business minds, it’s not just a Western tech tale—it’s a wake-up call.
The Coming Wave explores the rise of two unstoppable forces: artificial intelligence and synthetic biology. Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind, argues that these technologies are not just breakthroughs—they’re tidal waves. They will radically reshape economies, geopolitics, and daily life. The core theme? These tools are becoming too powerful, too fast, and spreading far beyond the control of governments or institutions.
The message:
If we don’t act now—intelligently, decisively, globally—we’ll lose control of what we’ve created. Suleyman calls for a new kind of containment strategy: not to stop innovation, but to govern it before it governs us. He’s not anti-tech; he’s pro-survival.
But he makes compelling arguments:
1. The Wave Is Coming Fast
Tech like AI and synthetic biology is growing exponentially, not linearly. Old systems (laws, ethics, governance) move slowly and can’t keep up.
“We’re underestimating the pace and scale of change.”
2. Diffusion of Power = Loss of Control
These technologies aren’t just in the hands of governments anymore—small groups or even individuals can access and use them. That makes containment harder than with nuclear weapons.
Think: AI-generated bioweapons or autonomous cyberattacks from a garage.
3. Containment, Not Censorship
Suleyman argues we need a new global strategy of “containment”, like post-WWII nuclear policy. Not to stop progress, but to guide and regulate it—before it’s too late.
4. Institutions Aren’t Ready
From the UN to national regulators, current institutions are too slow, too fragmented, and often lack the technical literacy to act wisely.
We need new governance models, fast.
5. Open Tech = Existential Risk
He warns about “open-sourcing extinction”—when powerful models are released without safeguards, anyone can fine-tune them for harm.
AI + bad actors = worst-case scenarios.
6. Hope Lies in Smart Regulation and Global Cooperation
The final chapters aren’t all doom. Suleyman argues for smart risk management, global alliances, and deep alignment between tech and values.
But no one is criticism free. Mustafa Sulayman is:
1. Overly Alarmist
Some critics say Suleyman leans too far into doomsday rhetoric, painting worst-case scenarios without enough nuance or evidence.
“Fear sells—but does it help us think clearly?”
2. Vague on Solutions
While the book pushes hard for containment, it’s often light on concrete policy recommendations. Critics ask: What exactly should governments do?
3. Contradictions in the Author’s Role
Suleyman helped build the very systems he now warns against. Some call it hypocritical—warning about risks after profiting from them.
“You helped light the fire, now you’re selling the extinguisher?”
4. West-Centric Lens
The narrative is heavily focused on Western tech powers (US, UK, EU). Critics say it underestimates the role and rise of China, India, and the Global South.
5. Neglects Broader Social Context
The book focuses on governments and companies, but often leaves out the public—civic movements, social adaptation, and grassroots responses to tech aren’t explored deeply.
Some quotes from the book:
Big-Picture Warnings
“This is not just another industrial revolution. This is the first time we’ve created something more capable than us.”
“The coming wave of technology will challenge the very idea of control.”
On AI and Synthetic Biology
“We are democratizing god-like power—without the wisdom to use it.”
“AI and synthetic biology are not tools. They are new forms of agency in the world.”
On the Need for Containment
“The goal is not to stop innovation, but to contain its most dangerous possibilities.”
“The nuclear age taught us one thing: without proactive governance, progress becomes peril.”
On Global Responsibility
“No single nation can control what’s coming. This will require global resolve and a new mindset.”
Suleyman closes with a call to action: we must not sleepwalk into a future shaped by uncontrolled technology. The wave is coming—but we’re not powerless. He argues for:
- Proactive governance (before crises happen)
- Global cooperation (like climate or nukes)
- Building values into technology (not just efficiency)
- Tech literacy among leaders (so they can actually govern)
His final message is clear: containment is possible, but only if we start now. Delay equals danger.