A free reading list by New Money School
Reading List
These are the ten reads I send people when they want a real foundation in AI. Not the hot-take feed. The writers who've earned their seat at the table, explaining where we are, what's worth using, and how to think about it.
Pour something warm. Take your time.
How to read this list
Each one earns its spot for a different reason. Some give you the lay of the land. Some teach you a specific build. Some pull you back to think about what AI is actually doing to work and to us.
You don't need to read them in order. Pick the one that matches the question you're carrying right now and start there. Save the rest for the weekend.
A gentle reminder
The point isn't to know every term. It's to think clearly enough to keep up.
The List10 Reads, 10 Different Lenses
01
Ethan Mollick · One Useful Thing
An Opinionated Guide to Using AI Right Now
The best modern AI tools, what each one is actually for, and why stressing over "perfect prompting" is the wrong fight. Start here if you're new.
02
Ruben Hassid · How to AI
Cowork: How to Set Up Claude to Level Up From ChatGPT
Stop crafting one-off prompts. The real Cowork unlock is folders, context files, and global instructions Claude reads every time.
03
Ben Tossell · Ben's Bites
How I Code With Agents, Without Being Technical
A working playbook for shipping real software using AI agents, even if you don't have a CS degree. 50+ projects, one CLI, zero formal training.
04
Claire Vo · Lenny's Newsletter
OpenClaw: The Complete Guide to Building Your Personal AI Agent
Everything you need to spin up your own AI agent on hardware you control, plus six real workflows worth copying. The deep dive on OpenClaw.
05
Alberto Romero · The Algorithmic Bridge
How to Survive the AI Age: A Concrete Guide
Eight specific moves to stay employable, sane, and competent in an AI-shaped economy. The opposite of generic future-of-work advice.
Read on The Algorithmic Bridge →
06
Tomas Pueyo · Uncharted Territories
AI in 2026
A clear-eyed read on where AI capability, capex, and capability gains are actually heading in 2026. The macro picture without the hype.
Read on Uncharted Territories →
07
Lenny Rachitsky · Lenny's Newsletter
An AI Glossary
Every AI term that's been thrown at you in a meeting, defined in plain language. Models, RAG, RLHF, MCP, evals. Bookmark it.
08
Matt Paige · Matt Paige's Substack
How I Turned Claude Code Into My Personal Chief of Staff
Build a Claude Code agent that synthesizes your calendar, email, Slack, HubSpot, Notion, and meeting notes into one ranked morning brief. Full tutorial.
Read on Matt Paige's Substack →
09
Ethan Mollick · One Useful Thing
A Guide to Which AI to Use in the Agentic Era
The mental model for picking the right AI now that agents are in play. Models vs. apps vs. harnesses, and why the same model behaves differently in different surfaces.
10
Tal Raviv · Lenny's Newsletter
Build Your Personal AI Copilot
A step-by-step for training an AI on your real work, your voice, and the way you think. The one to read after you've gotten your bearings.
If You Only Read Three
Start with Mollick's Opinionated Guide for the foundation, Lenny's Glossary so the jargon stops being a wall, and Claire Vo on OpenClaw for the build that changes the rest. Everything else compounds from there.