The Power of Information: A Look at Yuval Noah Harari’s "Nexus"
By AHMED NOOR
Since the Stone Age, information has played a key role in shaping human lives. It connects people, controls societies, and helps us cooperate and organize. The stories we tell—whether myths, religious texts, or news—shape our understanding of life and how to live it. This is the main idea explored in historian Yuval Noah Harari’s latest book, Nexus: “A Brief History of Information Networks From the Stone Age to A.I.”
Harari, known for his previous books like Sapiens and Homo Deus, dives into the history of information networks and their power over human societies. He examines how communication has evolved—from early religious myths to today’s advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). Like Sapiens, Nexus is a lengthy and challenging read. At over 500 pages, Nexus rambles on about the history of bureaucracies, the differences between democracy and totalitarianism, and the fallibility of religious text.
Ancient Information Networks
Harari explains how religious texts were some of the earliest forms of mass communication. These stories, even if unscientific, helped unite large populations. They created shared beliefs and values, which brought people together. However, Harari points out that information does not always tell the truth. It often leads to fiction, fantasies, and mass delusions, which can shape societies in good or bad ways.
Every smartphone today holds more information than the ancient Library of Alexandria and allows its user to instantly connect with billions of people worldwide. However, despite all this information moving so quickly, humanity is now closer than ever to destroying itself.
This is because many of our systems are built and maintained through false stories, fantasies, and widespread misunderstandings—ranging from magical tales to financial systems. The real issue we face is how our networks share and handle information. Information connects people and systems, but when people receive false or bad information, they tend to make poor decisions, no matter how smart or kind they are.
The Control of Information
Throughout history, priests, leaders, poets, and politicians have used information to influence people and maintain power. Now, with AI, computers are learning to do the same. Harari highlights that information networks—whether in democracies or dictatorships—are powerful tools. He said Dictatorships aim to control and centralize information through propaganda and censorship while Democracies, on the other hand, promote free and open communication. Citizens are encouraged to question and correct false information.
Threat AI
Harari argues that AI could make totalitarian regimes more dangerous. With tools like surveillance and data control, dictatorships could gain immense power. He imagines how much worse life would have been under Stalin, for example, if social media and AI had existed. In democracies, AI and social media have also caused problems. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter are designed to grab attention, often by spreading extreme or false content. This polarizes societies and makes meaningful conversations difficult.
However, modern challenges like AI and social media are changing this balance. Harari warns that digital platforms, driven by algorithms, often spread misinformation. They create "echo chambers" where people only hear opinions that match their own, leading to more division and less rational debate.
Harari sees AI as a double-edged sword. While it brings many benefits, it also creates risks. He calls humans the "smartest and stupidest animals" because, despite our intelligence, we often fail to foresee the dangers of our creations. Fake news and propaganda, he says, now aim to create emotional reactions—like fear and hatred—which can divide societies even further.
AI is a unique and serious threat to humanity because, for the first time, a technology can make decisions and create new ideas on its own. In the past, every invention gave humans more power, but humans still controlled how those tools were used. For example, nuclear bombs cannot decide whom to attack, nor can they improve themselves or invent stronger bombs.
However, AI is different. Autonomous drones can decide on their own whom to target, and AI systems can design new types of bombs, create advanced military strategies, and even improve other AIs. This means AI is not just a tool—it acts like an independent agent.
The biggest danger of AI is that we are bringing into the world powerful new systems that may become more intelligent and creative than humans. The problem is, we don’t fully understand them, and we don’t have complete control over them.
A Historical Lesson for the Future
At the end of Nexus, Harari gives a powerful message. He reminds readers of the 1955 Russell-Einstein Manifesto, which urged world leaders to prevent nuclear war. Today, Harari believes this message applies to AI as well. He appeals to humanity to control these technologies before they control us.
In Nexus, Harari blends history, technology, and philosophy to show the power of information networks. He warns that if we don’t manage these systems wisely, we risk being controlled by them.
The future of humanity, according to Harari, depends on how we handle the flow of information. By learning from history and taking responsibility, we can ensure a better, safer world.
