Nexus

A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

By: Yuval Noah Harari

Narrated by: Vidish Athavale

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sapiens comes the groundbreaking story of how information networks have made, and unmade, our world.

For the last 100,000 years, we Sapiens have accumulated enormous power. But despite all our discoveries, inventions, and conquests, we now find ourselves in an existential crisis. The world is on the verge of ecological collapse. Misinformation abounds. And we are rushing headlong into the age of AI—a new information network that threatens to annihilate us. For all that we have accomplished, why are we so self-destructive?

Nexus looks through the long lens of human history to consider how the flow of information has shaped us, and our world. Taking us from the Stone Age, through the canonization of the Bible, early modern witch-hunts, Stalinism, Nazism, and the resurgence of populism today, Yuval Noah Harari asks us to consider the complex relationship between information and truth, bureaucracy and mythology, wisdom and power. He explores how different societies and political systems throughout history have wielded information to achieve their goals, for good and ill. And he addresses the urgent choices we face as non-human intelligence threatens our very existence.

Information is not the raw material of truth; neither is it a mere weapon. Nexus explores the hopeful middle ground between these extremes, and in doing so, rediscovers our shared humanity.

©2024 Yuval Noah Harari (P)2024 Random House Audio

Inisghtful parallels

Yuval Harari’s Nexus offers an in-depth exploration of how religion, government, and economic systems have shaped human civilization as complex information networks. Harari’s analysis connects these historical models to the rise of AI, positioning it as the next and potentially most transformative force in humanity’s future. His insights into the evolution of human societies and the role of information in structuring power are both compelling and thought-provoking, making the case that AI may surpass all previous models in its impact on our world.

Highly thoughtful and provocative

Whether you agree or not with Harari’s observations and conclusions, his framing of the primary role of information in creating “human networks” is revelatory. His historic review of information from the Stone Age to the present as not necessarily being about reality or the truth, but rather a means to drive the formation of these networks (be they religions, nation states or societies) is a useful understanding to use as we all contemplate what AI and humans might bring in our future. It certainly rings true as we contemplate what social media has done in just a decade.

Exciting and Terrifying

An exciting and terrifying perspective on the rise of AI technology that draws on various historic revolutions to call out some of the biggest dangers that humanity may face. It’s also an inspiring read that encourages the reader to take action to preserve democracy and maintain control of the growing power of AI through intelligent regulations. Just as good as his last books and even more important, this book is a must-read for those at the helms of our societies as well as the average person who wants to be aware of the storm brewing around them.

An amazing Historical Analysis and Warning

Interpreting World Cultural transformation through the lens of Information and summarizing it with a very convincing set of warnings.

Necessary Reading. Five Stars. *****

Very Informative

This is a wake call of a book! It is very necessary and needed information!

Connections to AI and historical context about information technology affecting regimes and societies

Seemed pretty repetitive of prior books. I thought this was closer to quality to Sapiens

brilliant anthro-historical view of AI

Fascinating construct of defining information networks as a backdrop to analyze the risks and rewards of AI. Liked learning about the concept of Intersubjectivity and Self-Healing systems/networks. As always, love the historical context brought into modern day and future perspectives.

Deeply informing and thought provoking

Deeply informing and thought provoking. I have now read several of Harari’s books and find them all very thought provoking. This odd perhaps the most disturbing because it paints a disturbing future of we don’t find ways to incorporate self correcting into artificial intelligence.

Brilliant inter-disciplinary insights with a little bit of Realism missing from the AI discussion

Nexus fills a gap left by the overly optimistic perspectives of many futurists, while remaining more informed and intelligent than conspiracy "theorists," luddites, or plain pessimists. There are a hundred useful observations and connections that make the coming (already here?) AI revolution something we can use for the good of all - or not.

Very insightful and informative

This is a book that all political leaders should be familiar with. My only complaint is that the person reading it does not know how to pronounce Myanmar, and this made for a painful chapter.