In his latest book, Yuval Noah Harari explores the evolution of information networks and their profound influence on human society from ancient times to the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Six years have dramatically altered the world, and Harari’s earlier work, “21 Lessons for the 21st Century” (published in 2018), proposed essential lessons for the modern world, urging humanity to reflect on the changes of the new century.
In the past, George Orwell’s famous phrase, “Big Brother is Watching You,” from his novel 1984, symbolized a government’s constant surveillance. Harari adapts this to today’s world, stating, “Big Data is Watching You” (p.44, Jonathan Cape, 2018), illustrating the shift from traditional control to data-driven governance systems.
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Yuval Noah Harari Nexus Latest Masterpiece
Harari emphasizes that the 21st century will not only witness a change in dominance but also see control slip from human hands into algorithms and data. The future won’t be ruled by humans but by calculations and codes. According to Harari, one of the primary threats is the potential over-reliance on AI, where investment in technology may surpass the investment in human consciousness. This could lead to AI strengthening human ignorance rather than advancing wisdom (p.70).
His new work, ‘Nexus’, builds on these ideas, presenting a world where super-intelligent machines coexist with less aware humans—in the same timeline, sharing the same dimensions.
The Power of Information Networks
‘Nexus’ is a deep dive into the history of information networks, emphasizing how these networks have been used for good and evil. Harari explains that these systems, which have existed since the Stone Age, served connectivity purposes, but not necessarily for wisdom or truth (p.17, Fern Press/Penguin Random, 2024). He argues that humans have always sought to expand connectivity but have not shown the same enthusiasm for refining intellect or seeking genuine truths.
From ancient myths and legends to modern bureaucracies, societies have relied on information networks to maintain social order. These networks supported governments, armies, traders, and religious leaders alike. Homo sapiens managed to outlast Neanderthals by effectively using these networks to dominate in the survival race.
Information Shaping Society
Information networks have shaped societies throughout history, forcing religions to reform and drawing the attention of dictators. In both democracies and dictatorships, these networks were integral. Harari devotes an entire chapter to exploring how, in some systems, information flowed relatively freely, while in others, it was heavily controlled. In chapter five of ‘Nexus’, he discusses how the flow of information defines the very nature of power and society.
The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in the 16th century laid the foundation for mass media, as Benedict Anderson discussed in his classic work ‘Imagined Communities’. Anderson explored how print technology played a vital role in the rise of national consciousness. Similarly, in his 1962 book ‘The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of Typographic Man’, Marshall McLuhan showed how media changes rewrote human consciousness over different historical periods.
In ‘Nexus,’ Harari expands on this idea, examining American society and Stalin-era Russia, and showing how mass media paved the way for mass democracy and totalitarianism. Societies with constitutional mechanisms for self-correction managed to navigate these turbulent waters, while others succumbed to total control.
The Silicon Curtain
Harari predicts that, unlike the 20th century, where the divide between democracy and dictatorship largely defined politics, the 21st century will see a new divide between human and non-human agents. A “silicon curtain” is descending, separating human bureaucrats from algorithmic overlords. Harari moves beyond the ‘human networks’ era into the ‘inorganic networks’ age, where non-human agents wield significant power.
The difference between the media tools of the past and the AI-driven systems of today is vast. While radio could transmit speeches, it couldn’t create them. Radio was a passive tool. In contrast, AI-based media tools can generate content and make decisions, evolving independently with a defined purpose.
This marks the emergence of a new era of computer politics, where AI-driven tools are relentless, ever-present, and impossible to ignore. Surveillance has become so pervasive that ordinary citizens unwittingly assist by sharing every aspect of their lives through these tools.
The New Digital Reality
As Harari points out, computers have infiltrated every aspect of life, constantly analyzing moments and life patterns. These social networks have made it impossible to disconnect, even during personal time fully. In ‘Nexus’, Harari issues multiple warnings, urging humanity to recognize the profound risks of this new reality.
Like his previous works, including ‘Sapiens’, Harari’s ‘Nexus’ captivates readers with its thorough analysis, combining historical facts and modern realities. Every chapter encourages a journey between the past and the present. In the chapter titled ‘Extinction of the Smartest’, Harari reminds us of Marshall McLuhan’s comment: “Nothing will hold on the speed of light,” meaning that traditional structures may collapse under the weight of rapidly moving information.
The Future of AI-Driven Society
Harari’s overarching message is that if humanity fails to develop self-correcting mechanisms in time, this AI-driven world could head towards an endgame scenario. One that mirrors the dystopian vision presented in T.S. Eliot’s ‘Four Quartets’, where the funeral procession carries no one because there is no one left to bury.
In conclusion, Harari’s ‘Nexus’ is a thought-provoking exploration of the past, present, and future of information networks. It examines the duality of progress and control and the deep consequences that AI and data-driven systems hold for the future of human society.
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