By Coral Gables Gazette staff
Artificial intelligence is often discussed in terms of disruption and risk, but Robert H. Hacker wants to reframe the story—as the beginning of a new cultural awakening. On Thursday, August 28, Books & Books will host Hacker for an evening conversation on his new book, The Second Renaissance: How AI Will Transform Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship. The event begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Coral Gables flagship location.
Admission is free and open to the public, and books will be available for purchase. An RSVP grants general entry but does not guarantee seating, so early arrival is encouraged.
A book for a pivotal moment
Published this spring by de Gruyter, The Second Renaissance arrives at a moment when questions about artificial intelligence shape conversations across business, government, and education. Hacker argues that humanity is experiencing an inflection point: a convergence of environmental pressures, political manipulation through social media, and rapidly advancing computational power.
Where others may see only risk, Hacker sees a potential flowering. He contends that AI’s capabilities have now surpassed human cognition in key areas, offering opportunities to accelerate discovery in science, reshape entrepreneurship, and address societal challenges. In his telling, the twenty-first century may be less a continuation of the digital revolution than the opening chapter of a new era—a second renaissance.
Five pillars and two paradigms
The book traces the evolution of modern science from the nineteenth century to today’s AI-driven breakthroughs, before laying out what Hacker identifies as five pillars for reimagining the future. Alongside these are two paradigms he believes are shaping twenty-first-century technology and business models. Together, these frameworks aim to provide leaders, policymakers, and innovators with a roadmap for harnessing AI in constructive ways.
What distinguishes the book is its combination of theory and practice. Hacker not only sketches the broad contours of this new era but also provides case studies and examples that corporate executives, researchers, and entrepreneurs can adapt. The approach reflects his conviction that AI must be understood not simply as a tool but as a foundation for new ways of thinking, building, and governing.
A career of building and teaching
Hacker’s authority on the subject rests not only in research but in lived experience. He is the co-founder and director of StartUP FIU, an initiative that helps commercialize faculty research in emerging technologies while cultivating student entrepreneurship. He also teaches in the Honors College at Florida International University and previously taught at MIT Sloan. His courses span social entrepreneurship, mental frameworks in decision-making, and the implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Before his academic career, Hacker worked globally. He was the COO and CFO of One Laptop per Child, a social venture launched at the MIT Media Lab to expand digital access in the developing world. Earlier still, he built a billion-dollar publicly traded company in Indonesia. These experiences ground his writing in both international business and social impact.
He has authored two previous books on entrepreneurship, but The Second Renaissance is his most ambitious work, combining personal insight with a sweeping view of history and technology.
Linking global shifts to local life
Events at Books & Books often double as community conversations, and this evening promises to do the same. While AI debates frequently unfold in policy forums or corporate boardrooms, Hacker’s presentation brings those questions to a local audience eager to understand how global shifts might shape daily life.
For business owners, educators, students, and civic leaders in Coral Gables, the conversation offers a chance to explore not only how AI is transforming industries but also how it may influence governance, ethics, and creativity. As the city marks its own centennial, such discussions remind residents that Coral Gables remains linked to larger global currents of change.
If you go…
- What: The Second Renaissance: An Evening with Robert H. Hacker
- When: Thursday, August 28, 2025, 7:00 p.m.
- Where: Books & Books Coral Gables, 265 Aragon Avenue
- Cost: Free and open to the public (books available for purchase)
- RSVP: Required for entry; seating not guaranteed
- Contact: Books & Books, 305-442-4408
