# Calum Chace

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English writer and speaker

British businessman and author (born 1959)

Calum Chace Born Calum Chace (1959-03-20) March 20, 1959 (age 67) Education Oxford University Occupations Businessman author speaker Years active 1981 Children 1 Website calum-chace.com

**Calum Chace** (born 20 March 1959) is an English businessman, author and speaker, who specialises in [artificial intelligence](/source/Artificial_intelligence). After a thirty year career in business, he retired in 2012 to focus on writing and speaking on the topic of AI, which he saw as both a hugely promising development, and a potentially threat that warrant's urgent attention. In 2024 he made a partial return to business by co-founding the AI company *Conscium*.

## Education

Chace studied philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) at [Oxford University](/source/University_of_Oxford), graduating in 1981. Between 1989 to 1990, he went on to gain a [MBA](/source/MBA) from [Cranfield School of Management](/source/Cranfield_School_of_Management). [1] [2]

## Journalist and Business Career

After graduating from Oxford in 1981, Chase worked at the BBC as a journalist for two years, before embarking on a career in business, working for companies such as [KPMG](/source/KPMG) and [BP](/source/BP). He initially worked in marketing, then after gaining an MBA spent 15 years in strategy consultancy. The last five years of his career were spent as a commercial director and as a CEO. In his own time, Chase co-authored two business books during his business career,[3][4] and published the occasional article, such as for the [Financial Times](/source/Financial_Times).[5] [6][1] [2][7][8][9]

## Writer and speaker

In 2012, Chace largely retired from business to focus on writing and speaking, focusing on [artificial intelligence](/source/Artificial_intelligence). Like many who work in the field of AI, he got into it via science fiction, which he calls "philosophy in fancy dress". In common with many futurists, but unlike most mainstream commentators at the time, he saw as a technology likely have a huge impact on humanity well before the GenAI boom of 2020 got underway. He has published both non-fiction and fictional AI themed books, given talks on all six continents, and published many articles. Chace writes from a broadly pro-capitalist and pro-reason perspective, agreeing with [Steven Pinker](/source/Steven_Pinker)'s view that "Industrial capitalism launched the Great Escape from universal poverty in the 19th century and is rescuing the rest of humankind in a Great Convergence in the 21st". His view on AI is broadly optimistic; in a variation of the FALC concept popularised by [Aaron Bastani](/source/Aaron_Bastani), Chase predicted in 2015 that AI could bring about "fully automated luxury capitalism". Chace has nevertheless long warned that AI poses risks if not handled carefully; foremost among these are what he calls the "two singularities".[10] [11] [12][13]

Chace popularised and may have coined the term "economic singularity" to describe the possibility of severe [technological unemployment](/source/Technological_unemployment) arising as a result of AI. He argues the unemployment risk can be mitigated by policy responses such as a generous form of [universal basic income](/source/Universal_basic_income), new models of broad asset ownership so the gains from automation are widely shared, and a cultural shift away from defining human worth through paid employment. Despite Chace's strong faith in the free market, he holds that eventually AI & robotics will become so productive they will significantly reduce [social mobility](/source/Social_mobility) for humans outside of the most talented or capital owning elite. By this point, responses like Basic income will be insufficient to prevent problems arising from [social stratification](/source/Social_stratification), so he holds humanity should plan for an eventual move beyond capitalism, to something like the [Star trek economy](/source/Trekonomics). In 2017, Chace co-founded the *Economic Singularity Club*, to further discuss such concerns with technologists, academics and interested writers. [9][11] [14][10]

The second major theme in his books is the [technological singularity](/source/Technological_singularity), which for Chace involves AI achieving first [human level (AGI)](/source/Artificial_general_intelligence) and then [beyond-human (SGI)](/source/Artificial_superintelligence) intelligence. His debut novel Pandora's Brain (2014) dramatises this scenario[15], while Surviving AI (2015) sets out the safety case in non-fiction form.[16] Chace argues the right mix of technical alignment work, sensible regulation, and informed public debate gives humanity a strong chance of a flourishing post-AGI future. [9] [16] [10] [14] [12][11]

Other themes common in both Chaces books and short form content include the urgency of preparing for transformative AI now rather than later, the inadequacy of incremental thinking in the face of exponential change per [Amara's law](/source/Amara's_law), and the conviction that, handled wisely, AI could be the best thing ever to happen to humanity.[10][16] [17] [12] [9] [11]

### Publications

Books Published year Author(s) The Internet Consumer Bible[3] 2000 Tess Read, Calum Chace & Simon Rowe The Internet Start-Up Bible[4] 2000 Tess Read, Calum Chace & Simon Rowe Pandora's Brain[15][17] 2014 Calum Chace Surviving AI: The Promise and Peril of Artificial Intelligence [16][18][12] 2015 Calum Chace The Economic Singularity: Artificial intelligence and Fully Automated Luxury Capitalism[14][19] 2016 Calum Chace Artificial Intelligence and the Two Singularities[10] 2018 Calum Chace Stories from 2045[20] 2019 Calum Chace (editor) Pandora's Oracle[21] 2021 Calum Chace

## Conscium

In 2024, Chace and four other co-founders launched Conscium, an AI safety company led by CEO [Daniel Hulme](/source/Daniel_Hulme). In February 2025 Conscium published an open letter warning of the risks of AI suffering if care is not taken to mitigate against that possibility when and if AI becomes conscious. Signatories of the letter included [Stephen Fry](/source/Stephen_Fry), Karl Friston and [Anthony Finkelstein](/source/Anthony_Finkelstein).[22] In March 2025 the Conscium team launched *PRISM* (Partnership for Research Into Sentient Machines), the world's first non-profit dedicated to investigating AI consciousness.[23]

## Personal life

Chace lives in England with his partner, a director of a design school, together with their daughter.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-lifeboatBio_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-lifeboatBio_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-lifeboatBio_1-2) ["Calum Chace, MBA"](https://lifeboat.com/ex/bios.calum.chace). *[Lifeboat Foundation](/source/Lifeboat_Foundation)*. 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-chartwellBio_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-chartwellBio_2-1) ["Calum Chace's Biography"](https://www.chartwellspeakers.com/speaker/calum-chace/). *chartwellspeakers*. Retrieved 23 May 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ICB_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ICB_3-1) Read; CHACE; Rowe (2000-12-07). *The Internet Consumer Bible*. London: Random House Business Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780712671972](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780712671972).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ISB_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ISB_4-1) Read, Chace and Rowe; results, search; Rowe, Simon (2000-05-04). *The Internet Start-Up Bible*. London: Random House Business Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780712669665](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780712669665).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Win&Lose_5-0)** Chace, Calum (7 December 2004). ["You win some, you lose some..."](https://www.ft.com/content/cdcb54c8-4736-11d9-b099-00000e2511c8) *Financial Times*. Retrieved 23 May 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-lnked_6-0)** ["Calum Chace - Profile at Linkedin"](https://www.linkedin.com/in/calum-chace-bb68168/). Linkedin. Retrieved 9 May 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ForbesBio_7-0)** ["Calum Chace"](https://www.forbes.com/sites/calumchace/). *Forbes*. Retrieved 23 May 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Kathimerini2024_8-0)** ["Best-Selling Author Calum Chace to Speak at Digital Agenda Cyprus Summit 2024"](https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/best-selling-author-calum-chace-to-speak-at-digital-agenda-cyprus-summit-2024). *[Kathimerini](/source/Kathimerini)*. 16 September 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ThornhillPod_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ThornhillPod_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ThornhillPod_9-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ThornhillPod_9-3) John Thornhill (2017-12-27). ["Calum Chace on a world without work"](https://www.ft.com/content/71f867bf-e26e-4850-b9ae-e8fee4ba2278?syn-25a6b1a6=1). *[Financial Times](/source/Financial_Times)* (Podcast). Retrieved 23 May 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-TwoS_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-TwoS_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-TwoS_10-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-TwoS_10-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-TwoS_10-4) Chace, Calum (2018-04-28). *Artificial Intelligence and the Two Singularities* (1st ed.). Chapman and Hall/CRC. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780815368533](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780815368533).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ThornhillA1_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ThornhillA1_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ThornhillA1_11-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ThornhillA1_11-3) Thornhill, John (28 January 2019). ["Preparing for the D-Day of technological change will be vital"](https://www.ft.com/content/2871413a-22d3-11e9-8ce6-5db4543da632). *Financial Times*. Retrieved 23 May 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-monocle_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-monocle_12-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-monocle_12-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-monocle_12-3) ["Writer Mark Mason reviews 'Treasured Island' by Frank Barrett, 'Surviving AI: The Promise and Peril of Artificial Intelligence' by Calum Chace and 'Wiseguy' by Nicholas Pileggi"](https://monocle.com/radio/shows/the-monocle-arts-review/154/). *[Monocle Radio](/source/Monocle_Radio)*. 1 Oct 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-top30gg_13-0)** ["World's Top 30 Futurist Professionals for 2026"](https://globalgurus.org/futurist-gurus-top-30/). *Forbes*. 2026. Retrieved 23 May 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FullyAutomated_14-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FullyAutomated_14-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FullyAutomated_14-2) Chace, Calum (2016-07-18). *The Economic Singularity: Artificial intelligence and the death of capitalism*. Three Cs. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780993211645](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780993211645).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-PandoraB_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-PandoraB_15-1) Chace, Calum (2014-02-04). *Pandora's Brain* (1st ed.). Three Cs. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780993211607](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780993211607).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Surviving_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Surviving_16-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Surviving_16-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Surviving_16-3) Chace, Calum (2015-07-29). *Surviving AI* (1st ed.). Three Cs. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780993211621](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780993211621).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-PandoraB2_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-PandoraB2_17-1) Arthur, Charles (2015-11-07). ["Artificial intelligence: 'Homo sapiens will be split into a handful of gods and the rest of us'"](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/07/artificial-intelligence-homo-sapiens-split-handful-gods). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 2018-08-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Surviving2_18-0)** Kleinman, Zoe (2017-07-21). ["AI demo picks out recipes from food photos"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40681395). *BBC News*. Retrieved 2018-08-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FullyAutomated2_19-0)** <["MPs want pupils to learn to rival robots – they should be equipped for a work-free world instead"](https://www.newstatesman.com/2016/10/mps-want-pupils-learn-rival-robots-they-should-be-equipped-work-free-world-instead). *www.newstatesman.com*. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 2018-08-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-stories_20-0)** [*Stories from 2045*](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stories-2045-Artificial-intelligence-Singularity-ebook/dp/B07MFRM4PM).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-PandoraO_21-0)** [*Pandora's Oracle*](https://www.amazon.com/Pandoras-Oracle-Calum-Chace-ebook/dp/B08X1MBBHW/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pandora%27s+oracle&qid=1613816419&s=books&sr=1-1). Three Cs. 18 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-19 – via www.amazon.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** Milmo, Dan (3 February 2025). ["AI systems could be 'caused to suffer' if consciousness achieved, says research"](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/03/ai-systems-could-be-caused-to-suffer-if-consciousness-achieved-says-research). *The Guardian*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["PRISM Launches as the World's First Non-Profit Dedicated to Researching Sentient AI"](https://www.unite.ai/prism-launches-as-the-worlds-first-non-profit-dedicated-to-researching-sentient-ai/). 20 March 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Calum Chace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calum_Chace) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calum_Chace?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.