Harnessing Disruption: Building the Tech Future Without Breaking Society

In Harnessing Disruption, Sarah E. Kreps--a national security expert and military veteran--offers a timely framework for understanding how societies respond to transformative technologies. From AI to nuclear weapons and cryptocurrency, Kreps shows that disruption is not collapse but part of a recurring pattern. Technologies emerge, warnings surface, crises unfold, and institutions adapt. Drawing on historical cases and contemporary challenges, she outlines a five-stage cycle that helps explain why some innovations spiral and others stabilize. For policymakers, technologists, and engaged citizens, this book offers a roadmap for navigating risk without surrendering the promise of progress.

Sarah E. Kreps is the John L. Wetherill Professor in the Department of Government, Adjunct Professor of Law, and Director of the Tech Policy Institute at Cornell University. Her research focuses on the intersection of emerging technology, national security, and public policy, and is the subject of seven books and dozens of academic and policy articles. She previously served as an officer in the United States Air Force, where she worked in the area of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.