Preferred Networks (PFN), Japan's leading AI startup, has released its annual "Books PFN Employees Read in 2025" list. This curation offers a unique glimpse into the intellectual curiosity of the researchers and engineers driving the frontiers of AI development and computer science. Rather than focusing solely on technical manuals, the list features titles that profoundly moved these experts, reflecting the diverse perspectives that fuel their technical prowess.

The selections are surprisingly eclectic, ranging from business titles and historical economics like "The Nightmare of Deflation" to rigorous academic texts such as "Step-by-Step Mathematical Understanding of General Relativity." The inclusion of the sci-fi epic "The Three-Body Problem II: The Dark Forest" and the culturally significant manga "Attack on Titan" highlights how PFN's engineers draw inspiration from complex narrative structures and expansive worldviews, looking far beyond the confines of mathematical formulas and code.

This tradition is rooted in the company's long-standing culture of weekly internal reading circles. By sharing their latest reads across different specialties, employees facilitate a "cross-pollination" of knowledge, connecting deep expertise in fields like Deep Learning and Reinforcement Learning with broader academic insights. This practice, which has gained media attention from outlets like Nikkei BOOKPLUS, is now shared externally via X, serving as a model for intellectual sharing within the tech community.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into every facet of society, engineers are finding that humanistic insight into history and social structures is just as vital as programming ability. The PFN list reveals a deeply human curiosity, with experts seeking clues to complex social problems in the classics or applying scientific evidence to parenting. For students entering the AI field, this curation serves as

Preferred Networks (PFN), Japan's leading AI startup, has released its annual "Books PFN Employees Read in 2025" list. This curation offers a unique glimpse into the intellectual curiosity of the researchers and engineers driving the frontiers of AI development and computer science. Rather than focusing solely on technical manuals, the list features titles that profoundly moved these experts, reflecting the diverse perspectives that fuel their technical prowess.

The selections are surprisingly eclectic, ranging from business titles and historical economics like "The Nightmare of Deflation" to rigorous academic texts such as "Step-by-Step Mathematical Understanding of General Relativity." The inclusion of the sci-fi epic "The Three-Body Problem II: The Dark Forest" and the culturally significant manga "Attack on Titan" highlights how PFN's engineers draw inspiration from complex narrative structures and expansive worldviews, looking far beyond the confines of mathematical formulas and code.

This tradition is rooted in the company's long-standing culture of weekly internal reading circles. By sharing their latest reads across different specialties, employees facilitate a "cross-pollination" of knowledge, connecting deep expertise in fields like Deep Learning and Reinforcement Learning with broader academic insights. This practice, which has gained media attention from outlets like Nikkei BOOKPLUS, is now shared externally via X, serving as a model for intellectual sharing within the tech community.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into every facet of society, engineers are finding that humanistic insight into history and social structures is just as vital as programming ability. The PFN list reveals a deeply human curiosity, with experts seeking clues to complex social problems in the classics or applying scientific evidence to parenting. For students entering the AI field, this curation serves as