Beast in the Machine: How Robotics and AI Will Transform Warfare and the Future of Human Conflict
From $19.77 / copy at 25+ copies; lower per-copy prices at higher quantities (see Volume pricing) As low as $17.37 at 1,000+
Total $494.25
Format
The more copies, the less each one costs
Applied automatically in your cart. No code needed.
Turn this order into a program
Groups that order together often pair the copies with something more. We handle the extras so you don't have to.
Bookplates, tipped-in pages, belly bands or author signatures. Subject to publisher approval.
Customization options Ship to every readerOne address, many sites or individual recipients' homes, in the US and abroad.
Fulfillment options Pair it with a branded journalJournals with your logo or each reader's name, for the same group.
Branded journals
Bring in a speaker
BookPal is partnering with Talezo to help you find and book authors, speakers and performers for your event.
BookPal × TalezoBeast in the Machine
A defense technology expert and military leader reveals the future of robotic warfare, and illuminates the path to navigate the approaching storm of global change.
The world is plunging into a new era of warfare dominated by robotic systems and artificial intelligence. As drone warfare and autonomous weapons fill the headlines, militaries, governments, and concerned citizens are asking urgent questions about the future of conflict. Author George M. Dougherty provides much-needed answers from a unique perspective as a senior military leader of US Air Force science and technology and a strategic business consultant to companies facing disruptive change in their industries.
Beast in the Machine offers a fascinating exploration of the future of combat. It takes the reader on a whirlwind journey through previously secret robotic warfare history from the World Wars to the War on Terror, and to today’s lethal battlefields in Ukraine and beyond. With gripping combat examples and easy-to-understand explanations of emerging technologies, Dougherty reveals the trends driving change and helps us to anticipate and prepare for what comes next.
Informed by insider expertise as well as a humane moral perspective, Dougherty tackles this controversial subject head-on. In these pages, readers will learn:
- How the robotic military revolution is disrupting the balance of power, undermining US security and making all of us targets
- Why today’s drones and autonomous weapons are only the start of the revolution—and what comes next
- Why familiar military platforms like tanks, ships, and airplanes will be replaced by robotic systems that may look radically different
- How self-organizing drone swarms in the “atmospheric littoral” may become a dominant force on the future battlefield
- What steps can ensure the ethical use of autonomous weapons and AI
- Which threats from military AI are more dangerous than artificial superintelligence, and how to avert them
The US and other global democracies must navigate this disruptive era wisely, or risk becoming its victims. Beast in the Machine is a timely invitation for all of us to join the conversation on the future of human armed struggle . . . while there’s still time to shape what’s coming.
Details
- Publisher
- BenBella Books
- Author
- George M. Dougherty
- Format
- Hardcover
- Published
- Aug 26, 2025
- ISBN-13
- 9781637747186
- ISBN-10
- 1637747187
- Pages
- 304
- Carton quantity
- 20 copies
Beast in the Machine for groups: pricing
Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart. No codes, no account needed.
| Copies | Price per copy | You save |
|---|---|---|
| 25 – 99 | $19.77 | 34% off list |
| 100 – 249 | $19.17 | 36% off list |
| 250 – 499 | $18.57 | 38% off list |
| 500 – 999 | $17.97 | 40% off list |
| 1,000+ | $17.37 | 42% off list |
Popular for
A copy for every member, on one order.
A book for every attendee, delivered to your venue.
For clients, staff, members or volunteers.
Where can I buy 100 copies of Beast in the Machine?
BookPal sells Beast in the Machine in quantity. At 100 copies the price is $19.17 a copy, against a list price of $29.95, and the cart applies the volume tier automatically. Free shipping on most orders over $95 in the contiguous US. A specialist can quote a larger or mixed order.
- New books only, straight from the publisher
- Volume prices apply automatically in the cart, with no code needed
- Order at least 10 business days before you need the books (11 from mid-November through December)
What does Beast in the Machine cost when I buy for a group?
Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart, with no code needed. Price per copy: 25 to 99 copies, $19.77 (34% off list); 100 to 249 copies, $19.17 (36% off list); 250 to 499 copies, $18.57 (38% off list); 500 to 999 copies, $17.97 (40% off list); 1,000+ copies, $17.37 (42% off list). Need a different quantity, or a quote to forward for approval? Ask a specialist and we will confirm pricing before you pay.
How fast can I get copies of Beast in the Machine?
Need them by a specific date? Request a quote and we'll confirm timing before you pay.
Can you ship to several locations or people's homes?
Yes. We ship group orders to one address, to multiple sites, or to individual recipients, in the US and internationally. See fulfillment options.
Can I get a formal quote for approval before ordering?
Yes. Request a quote and we'll send a PDF you can forward for approval.
Do you accept purchase orders and tax-exempt orders?
Yes. We accept purchase orders upon approval, as well as cards, PayPal, ACH, wire transfers and checks. BookPal is a tax-exempt supplier in all 50 states. See purchase orders and sales tax exemption.
What if I find a lower price?
Send us the link. We match prices from other booksellers and distributors on a new copy in the same edition, available to ship in the quantity you need. Clearance sales and pricing errors are the exception, and we'll tell you quickly if that's the case. Start a price match.
Write a Review
Beast in the Machine: How Robotics and AI Will Transform Warfare and the Future of Human Conflict
Groups also order
A colleague asked you to approve this order
Your quote list
Add books as you browse, then request one quote for all of them.