Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI
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- Create Date：2024-09-04 00:20:27
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Yuval Noah Harari
- ISBN：B0DCS9XSDZ
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Summary
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。
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。
Reviews
Rod Moser
，
This should be required reading for all of us。 The historian Yuval Harari gives us lessons on communication networks and how they have shaped our world throughout history。 As the new technology of AI continues to evolve and grow it is important to revisit the past impacts of communication advancements and see how they shaped the world for both good and bad。This is not a light read but it is not hard to understand。 It is a healthy sized book but worth the time/energy commitment。 Harari does a tre This should be required reading for all of us。 The historian Yuval Harari gives us lessons on communication networks and how they have shaped our world throughout history。 As the new technology of AI continues to evolve and grow it is important to revisit the past impacts of communication advancements and see how they shaped the world for both good and bad。This is not a light read but it is not hard to understand。 It is a healthy sized book but worth the time/energy commitment。 Harari does a tremendous job sharing dangers as well as potential improvements that the new technology could bring。 He states that the purpose is to open up a cooperative dialogue among developers of the technology and to raise awareness。If you have deep political or religious leanings there is the potential that one could get offended but I felt that the book was fair in looking at all religions and polities objectively。 They were viewed through the eyes of the author as communication networks and not as 'right or wrong'。In summary， brilliantly researched， fair， and important for all of us to understand 。。。 and talk about 。。。 at a deeper level。 。。。more
Angie Boyter
，
Fascinating， informative， entertaining， and scary！In the prologue to Nexus， author Yuval Harari says， “The main argument of this book is that humankind gains enormous power by building large networks of cooperation， but the way these networks are built predisposes them to use power unwisely。 Our problem， then， is a network problem。” Networks， though， come in many forms。 Harari explores information networks from man’s earliest days forward， beginning with our earliest information networks， storie Fascinating， informative， entertaining， and scary！In the prologue to Nexus， author Yuval Harari says， “The main argument of this book is that humankind gains enormous power by building large networks of cooperation， but the way these networks are built predisposes them to use power unwisely。 Our problem， then， is a network problem。” Networks， though， come in many forms。 Harari explores information networks from man’s earliest days forward， beginning with our earliest information networks， stories。 He traces the growth of information through biblical times to more modern history like witch hunts and Stalin’s collectivization。 He then explores the inorganic networks that have become prominent in our current times and the implications of modern networks on politics。 Networks have become more and more powerful， and the author says that in general this power allows them to thwart threats from outside but also increases the danger from within。 His final recommendation， which he labels the most important takeaway from his book， is that we abandon naïve and populist views of information such as he describes in the book to build institutions with strong self-correcting mechanismsThe Acknowledgments section says that he began working on this book in 2018。 From the sheer number of sources he cites， I can easily believe the work took that long！ The breadth of the research is impressive， including many works from and about history but then also modern sources like Ray Kurzweil， Robert Sapolsky， PricewaterhouseCoopers， Elon Musk， and Donald Trump！ It also made the book fascinating， informative， and added to my already-too-long list of books I want to read！The breadth of the examples described is equally informative and fascinating， such as China’s initial failure to appreciate the potential of the Industrial Revolution and the shock when Google’s AlphaGo AI defeated the human Go champion Lee Sedol。 As a devoted catlover， I was especially amused by Google’s cat-image-generating AI called the Meow Generator。The book and its ideas were very interesting， but the best thing about it was that it engaged me and made ME think。 Despite the overall credibility of his ideas， I did not always agree with him， and I would have loved to engage him in a discussion。 That is a successful book and message， and I was even more convinced of its success when I found myself telling a friend about one of Harari’s ideas before I even finished the book。 I will certainly be nominating it for my book group！Despite my high recommendation of the book and its ideas overall， I feel compelled to warn readers that Harari develops his message through well done examples and exploration of situations。 He generally does not very explicitly define many of the terms he uses， even when he is using them in a rather specialized way ， which can be confusing and annoying。 This is a special problem in the beginning of the book。 The Prologue left me so unsatisfied that I was tempted not to continue reading but decided to persist based on my enjoyment of his book Sapiens。 I am glad I did。 So if your initial reaction to the book is similar to mine， do persist。 The author gets his point across， and it is an interesting one！ I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley and Random House。 。。。more
Anjali
，
Harari's latest offering is an exploration of information networks and a cautionary warning against Artificial Intelligence。 Overall， there were a lot of good nuggets of wisdom and thoughtfulness in this book， but it was overly long and repetitive， and some sections were a real slog to get through。 I don't share Harari's sense of doom about AI， but I did appreciate his critiques。 Honestly， I might have enjoyed the sections where he went off-topic more than the ones about the dangers of AI。 Thank Harari's latest offering is an exploration of information networks and a cautionary warning against Artificial Intelligence。 Overall， there were a lot of good nuggets of wisdom and thoughtfulness in this book， but it was overly long and repetitive， and some sections were a real slog to get through。 I don't share Harari's sense of doom about AI， but I did appreciate his critiques。 Honestly， I might have enjoyed the sections where he went off-topic more than the ones about the dangers of AI。 Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a digital review copy。 。。。more
Amanda Bliley
，
Nexus was well-researched and thought provoking。 I have been marveling at all the things that AI can do， and not once did it cross my mind at how impactful this milestone is in human information and networking。 Contrary to some reviews on Goodreads， I thought the author clearly laid out his argument and organized this book well。 It had many historical examples and analogies to make his point。 He also had a lot of useful footnotes and references for his arguments。 A must read if you enjoyed his p Nexus was well-researched and thought provoking。 I have been marveling at all the things that AI can do， and not once did it cross my mind at how impactful this milestone is in human information and networking。 Contrary to some reviews on Goodreads， I thought the author clearly laid out his argument and organized this book well。 It had many historical examples and analogies to make his point。 He also had a lot of useful footnotes and references for his arguments。 A must read if you enjoyed his previous books， and if you enjoy relevant non-fiction。 。。。more
Steve
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This is a great history of information networks。 I can’t say that Harari’s view of AI is positive and he points out a lot of potential pitfalls in terms of global politics。 I love his writing style which I find highly conversational and fluid。 The book was well-paced and I found it hard to put down。 He never belabour points or get bogged down in minutiae。 Importantly， Harari is very clear when he speculates。 Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the advance reader copy。
Mark Kandborg
，
What good is studying the past if its lessons cannot be applied to the present and/or， by careful extrapolation， the future？ While the past and even the present are immutable but open to interpretation （the study of history is subjective by definition， is it not？）， the "study" of the future is speculative and therefore completely subjective。 It's within these conditions， for which Harari is hardly responsible -- that he shines。 Really looking forward to reading this one！ What good is studying the past if its lessons cannot be applied to the present and/or， by careful extrapolation， the future？ While the past and even the present are immutable but open to interpretation （the study of history is subjective by definition， is it not？）， the "study" of the future is speculative and therefore completely subjective。 It's within these conditions， for which Harari is hardly responsible -- that he shines。 Really looking forward to reading this one！ 。。。more
Jenn
，
Yuval Noah Harari， the author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow is back。 This time， the focus is on the history of information networks and its impacts on humanity。I really enjoyed Sapiens， but still need to read Homo Deus。 As with Sapiens， the author covers different historical events as supporting examples of information networks at work， and this is still my favorite part。 Yuval Noah Harari adds a different perspective to these historical even Yuval Noah Harari， the author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow is back。 This time， the focus is on the history of information networks and its impacts on humanity。I really enjoyed Sapiens， but still need to read Homo Deus。 As with Sapiens， the author covers different historical events as supporting examples of information networks at work， and this is still my favorite part。 Yuval Noah Harari adds a different perspective to these historical events and I always learn something new about history。Nexus is a fascinating look at the history of information networks， the wonderful and terrible ways it's been used， and how humanity is facing new challenges with AI。 It's thought-provoking and definitely had me saying， "Huh。 I hadn't thought about it like that" more than once。 "The only constant of history is change。" Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
PErvOL Books
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3，5⭐️
David
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Yuval Noah Harari has reached that stage as an author where he has realized that pretty much everything he writes about will be greeted with acclaim。 Including this latest waste of time he calls a book。Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI is not a history of information networks。 In fact， it is not even about information。 He starts the book intending to write about information， but before he gets to the middle he starts writing about information media。 By the t Yuval Noah Harari has reached that stage as an author where he has realized that pretty much everything he writes about will be greeted with acclaim。 Including this latest waste of time he calls a book。Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI is not a history of information networks。 In fact， it is not even about information。 He starts the book intending to write about information， but before he gets to the middle he starts writing about information media。 By the time you get to the end， it becomes about Artificial Intelligence， which is neither information nor information media。 By this time， it becomes the standard fare you would expect from the usual writers on AI such as Kurzweil， Bostrom， etc。But before we get to AI， the first part of the book attempts （and fails woefully） to shove， break， and stuff history into his poorly defined and poorly developed idea of information networks。 By the time you get to the end of the first part （Chapter 5）， you will be hit with a strong wave of deja vu。 It's Sapiens in a new cover。 He flies through history haphazardly and feverishly like a man running barefoot on hot coals。 Oh， look Mesopotamia！ Look， there is the beginning of the Church。 Over there is the witch hunt and we bullet past Stalin and Hitler。 It is chaotic， disorganized， and doesn't take the reader seriously。 The second part of the book argues that we are creating an entirely new kind of information network with social media and AI。 You don't need more than a blog post to figure this out even if you are entirely new to the subject。The third part deals with how different kinds of societies might deal with the threats and promises of this new information network。 Spoiler alert: since this book is devoid of anything resembling serious analysis， you will end this part feeling underwhelmed。 It is a book written to tell you that we don't yet know the implications of the AI revolution。 I'd appreciate an author with a wrong prediction better than one who writes hundreds of pages to tell you that there is nothing to see yet。 all we get is that by expanding our horizons to look at how information networks developed over thousands of years， I believe it is possible to gain some insight on what we are living through today。。 。。。more
Skip
，
This book was written “to provide a more accurate historical perspective on the AI revolution” and it certainly does that in much detail。 It gave me much to think about and discuss with others。 I recommend this highly to anyone who has concerns or just wants to know about the information technology revolution。
Ali
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Once upon a time， in a world where humanity was young， a small tribe lived in isolation。 They began with simple marks on the earth， a way to communicate the essentials of survival。 These early symbols were the first fragile threads of a network that would grow far beyond their imaginations。 As time passed， the tribe's desire to connect and share knowledge drove them to create more intricate ways of communication。 They carved their stories into stone， passed down wisdom through oral traditions， a Once upon a time， in a world where humanity was young， a small tribe lived in isolation。 They began with simple marks on the earth， a way to communicate the essentials of survival。 These early symbols were the first fragile threads of a network that would grow far beyond their imaginations。 As time passed， the tribe's desire to connect and share knowledge drove them to create more intricate ways of communication。 They carved their stories into stone， passed down wisdom through oral traditions， and， in doing so， wove a tapestry of knowledge that began to bind them together in ways both seen and unseen。As the network of human connections expanded， so too did the power that came with it。 Roads， the lifelines of ancient empires， became the arteries through which not just goods but ideas flowed。 With every innovation， from the invention of writing to the creation of the printing press， the network grew stronger， more pervasive。 Yet， with each new strand added to this web， the network became more than just a means of connection—it became a tool of influence and control。Kings， emperors， and priests realized the power of these networks。 They saw how information could be used to sway minds， to consolidate power， to control the narrative。 Knowledge was no longer just a shared treasure; it became a weapon。 The printing press， hailed as a revolution for the masses， was also quickly co-opted by those in power to spread propaganda and suppress dissent。The journey continued， and the world entered the age of electricity and telecommunication。 The telegraph， the telephone， radio， and television—they all brought people closer together， but they also centralized control in the hands of those who owned the means of communication。 Governments and corporations understood that by controlling the network， they could shape reality itself， deciding what was seen， heard， and believed。Then came the digital age。 The Internet， a web spun across the globe， promised a new era of freedom and decentralization。 But as the network grew， so did the realization that this too could be harnessed for power。 Corporations and states quickly turned the Internet into a battleground， where data became the new currency， and information warfare became the new normal。 Every click， every search， every message was tracked， analyzed， and often used to manipulate and control。Now， as artificial intelligence rises， a new chapter in this story begins。 AI， born from the very networks that humans created， has immense potential for good but also for great harm。 Those who control AI hold a power unlike any before—a tool that can predict， influence， and even decide the fate of millions。 AI， like every technology before it， is being shaped into a political weapon， a means to maintain and expand the power of the few over the many。“Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI” is a fable of humanity’s quest to connect， and how each step in that journey has been intertwined with the pursuit of power。 It is a cautionary tale about how the networks we build， from the earliest roads to the most advanced AI， have always been double-edged swords。 While they offer incredible potential for progress and connection， they also become tools for those who seek to control and dominate。In this ever-evolving web， the story of humanity is one of creation， connection， and ultimately， control。 The future， as the book suggests， is one where AI may well become the most powerful tool in the hands of those who wish to shape the world to their will。 As we stand on the brink of this new era， “Nexus” reminds us to be vigilant， for the networks we create will continue to define our world—and our place within it。 。。。more
Maher Razouk
，
لقد أطلقنا على نوعنا اسم الإنسان العاقل أو الإنسان الحكيم، ولكن من الممكن مناقشة ما إذا كان هذا الاسم مناسبا。على مدى المائة ألف عام الماضية، اكتسبنا نحن البشر العاقلون قوة هائلة。 إن مجرد سرد كل اكتشافاتنا واختراعاتنا وفتوحاتنا من شأنه أن يملأ مجلدات。 ولكن القوة ليست حكمة أو تعقل، وبعد مائة ألف عام من الاكتشافات والاختراعات والفتوحات، دفعت البشرية نفسها إلى أزمة وجودية。 نحن على وشك الانهيار البيئي، بسبب إساءة استخدام قوتنا。 كما أننا مشغولون بإنشاء تقنيات جديدة مثل الذكاء الاصطناعي والذي لديه القد لقد أطلقنا على نوعنا اسم الإنسان العاقل أو الإنسان الحكيم، ولكن من الممكن مناقشة ما إذا كان هذا الاسم مناسبا。على مدى المائة ألف عام الماضية، اكتسبنا نحن البشر العاقلون قوة هائلة。 إن مجرد سرد كل اكتشافاتنا واختراعاتنا وفتوحاتنا من شأنه أن يملأ مجلدات。 ولكن القوة ليست حكمة أو تعقل، وبعد مائة ألف عام من الاكتشافات والاختراعات والفتوحات، دفعت البشرية نفسها إلى أزمة وجودية。 نحن على وشك الانهيار البيئي، بسبب إساءة استخدام قوتنا。 كما أننا مشغولون بإنشاء تقنيات جديدة مثل الذكاء الاصطناعي والذي لديه القدرة على الإفلات من سيطرتنا واستعبادنا أو إبادتنا。 ولكن بدلاً من توحيد جنسنا للتعامل مع هذه التحديات الوجودية، تتصاعد التوترات الدولية، ويصبح التعاون العالمي أكثر صعوبة، وتكدس البلدان أسلحة يوم القيامة، ولا يبدو أن حرب عالمية جديدة مستحيلة。إذا كنا نحن البشر العاقلون حكماء إلى هذا الحد، فلماذا ندمر أنفسنا إلى هذا الحد؟وعلى مستوى أعمق، ورغم أننا جمعنا قدراً هائلاً من المعلومات عن كل شيء بدءاً من جزيئات الحمض النووي إلى المجرات البعيدة، فلا يبدو أن كل هذه المعلومات قد أعطتنا إجابة على الأسئلة الكبرى في الحياة: من نحن؟ ما الذي ينبغي لنا أن نطمح إليه؟ ما هي الحياة الطيبة، وكيف ينبغي لنا أن نعيشها؟ وعلى الرغم من الكم الهائل من المعلومات المتاحة لنا، فإننا عرضة للخيال والوهم مثل أسلافنا القدامى。 والنازية والستالينية مجرد مثالين حديثين على الجنون الجماعي الذي يجتاح حتى المجتمعات الحديثة أحياناً。 ولا أحد يجادل في أن البشر اليوم لديهم قدر أعظم بكثير من المعلومات والقوة مقارنة بالعصر الحجري، ولكن من غير المؤكد أننا نفهم أنفسنا ودورنا في الكون بشكل أفضل。لماذا نحن بارعون إلى هذا الحد في جمع المزيد من المعلومات والقوة، ولكننا أقل نجاحاً في اكتساب الحكمة؟ على مر التاريخ، اعتقدت العديد من التقاليد أن بعض العيوب القاتلة في طبيعتنا تغرينا بملاحقة قوى لا نعرف كيف نتعامل معها。 تحكي الأسطورة اليونانية عن فتى （فايثون） يكتشف أنه ابن هيليوس إله الشمس。 ويطالب فايثون - راغبًا في إثبات أصله الإلهي - بامتياز قيادة عربة الشمس。 ويحذر هيليوس فايثون من أنه لا يمكن لأي إنسان التحكم في الخيول السماوية التي تجر عربة الشمس。 لكن فايثون يصر على ذلك، حتى يستسلم إله الشمس。 وبعد أن يرتفع بفخر في السماء، يفقد فايثون السيطرة على العربة。 وتنحرف الشمس عن مسارها، فتحرق كل النباتات، وتقتل العديد من الكائنات، وتهدد بحرق الأرض نفسها。 ويتدخل زيوس ويضرب فايثون بصاعقة。 ليسقط الإنسان المتغطرس من السماء مثل النجم، ويحترق هو نفسه。 ثم تعيد الآلهة السيطرة على السماء وينقذون العالم。وبعد ألفي عام، عندما كانت الثورة الصناعية تخطو خطواتها الأولى وبدأت الآلات تحل محل البشر في العديد من المهام، نشر （يوهان فون جوته） حكاية تحذيرية مماثلة بعنوان "متدرب الساحر"。 تحكي قصيدة جوته （التي اشتهرت لاحقًا كفيلم رسوم متحركة من إنتاج والت ديزني بطولة ميكي ماوس） كيف يترك ساحر عجوز متدربًا شابًا مسؤولاً عن ورشته ويعطيه بعض المهام ليقوم بها أثناء غيابه، مثل جلب الماء من النهر。 يقرر المتدرب أن يجعل الأمور أسهل بالنسبة له، وباستخدام إحدى تعويذات الساحر، يسحر المكنسة لجلب الماء له。 لكن المتدرب لا يعرف كيف يوقف المكنسة، التي تجلب بلا هوادة المزيد والمزيد من الماء، مما يهدد بإغراق الورشة。 في حالة من الذعر، يقطع المتدرب المكنسة المسحورة إلى نصفين بفأس، فقط ليرى أن كل نصف أصبح مكنسة أخرى。 الآن، تغمر مكنستين مسحورتين الورشة بالمياه。 وعندما يعود الساحر العجوز، يتوسل المتدرب طلبًا للمساعدة: "الأرواح التي استدعيتها، لا أستطيع التخلص منها"。 يبطل الساحر التعويذة على الفور ويوقف الفيضان。 الدرس المستفاد للمتدرب - وللبشرية - واضح: لا تستدعي أبدًا قوى لا يمكنك التحكم فيها。。Yuval Noah HarariNexusTranslated By #Maher_Razouk 。。。more
فیصل مجید
，
It is "Farooq" who separates fiction from non-fiction。 AI will definately change the world: much better， much worse。 Mr。 Harari has an authortative tone with clear thoughts。 It is "Farooq" who separates fiction from non-fiction。 AI will definately change the world: much better， much worse。 Mr。 Harari has an authortative tone with clear thoughts。 。。。more
Mark
，
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this fantastic book。Yuval Harari is well-known by now， perhaps the best known of public historian/intellectuals。 He is as much of a philosopher as a historian， and his books are interpretative more than descriptive。 But the concepts that he uses to frame and interpret historical events and processes are fascinating， and require a lot of reflection as they as full of nuance。The central contention here is that history， in the sense of actions ta Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this fantastic book。Yuval Harari is well-known by now， perhaps the best known of public historian/intellectuals。 He is as much of a philosopher as a historian， and his books are interpretative more than descriptive。 But the concepts that he uses to frame and interpret historical events and processes are fascinating， and require a lot of reflection as they as full of nuance。The central contention here is that history， in the sense of actions taken by individuals that are reflected as actions taken by collections of individuals， are deeply shaped， if not directed， by information flows。 There is a complex relationship between information， truth （defined as a representation of reality）， and order。 The two insights that I found most impactful are that more information does not necessarily mean more truth， and that those who are the mediators of information flow （the nexuses） have tremendous power。 The relevance of this to our current age has to do with the emergence of algorithms and AI。 For the first time， the nexuses are becoming non-human， and may be guided by considerations that are alien。 The actions of AI， and Harari’s contention is that AI does make decisions and does take action， are not necessarily aligned with human goals， and do not necessarily wind up serving the greater good of humanity。 In fact， Harari seems quite pessimistic that they will do so unless carefully shaped and directed here in their infancy。 The future may be utopia， but there are many reasons to be concerned about dystopia， instead。 I find the arguments quite compelling。 And one is not in the least be reassured knowing about things like the Chinese total surveillance state employed against the Xighur and the Iranian monitoring of the hijab law （which I was unaware of）。 Of course， there are those who may argue that if one is doing nothing wrong， what is there to fear。 But the description of social credit scores， where one is assigned points when one behaves in conformity with an external set of standards， means no-one gets to opt out。 And since the algorithm is inscrutable， a situation like Kafka’s trial is a very possible result。So the idea here is that we don’t even need a superintelligent AI overload to get into deep trouble。 AI as it currently exists can become highly destructive and dangerous even without further technical evolution。 Most people are not paying attention to this， and most voters will not read this book。 But they should。 。。。more
The Bookish Elf
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Just。。。 wow。 You know that feeling when you finish a book and your mind is simultaneously racing and numb？ That's where I'm at after devouring Yuval Noah Harari's latest mind-bender， Nexus。 Like， I need to sit down and process this—oh wait， I've been sitting for the last 8 hours straight reading this thing。 Maybe I need to stand up and process it？Anyway。 If you've read Harari's previous hits like Sapiens or Homo Deus or 21 Lessons for the 21st Century， you know the drill - he takes impossibly va Just。。。 wow。 You know that feeling when you finish a book and your mind is simultaneously racing and numb？ That's where I'm at after devouring Yuval Noah Harari's latest mind-bender， Nexus。 Like， I need to sit down and process this—oh wait， I've been sitting for the last 8 hours straight reading this thing。 Maybe I need to stand up and process it？Anyway。 If you've read Harari's previous hits like Sapiens or Homo Deus or 21 Lessons for the 21st Century， you know the drill - he takes impossibly vast swaths of human history， distills them into pithy observations that make you go "huh， never thought of it that way before，" and then uses those insights to paint a picture of where we're headed that's equal parts fascinating and terrifying。 But Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari feels different。 More urgent。 More personal。 Instead of covering all of human history， Harari zooms in on the history of information networks - from ancient oral traditions to holy books to newspapers to the internet and beyond。 And in doing so， he reveals how the ways we share and process information have always shaped （and misshaped） human society。 But now， with the rise of AI， we're on the precipice of the biggest transformation yet—one that could fundamentally alter what it means to be human。 The Power of Stories: From Campfires to Silicon Valley In Nexus， Yuval Noah Harari kicks things off by reminding us of humanity's superpower—our ability to create and believe in shared fictions。 You know， little things like money， nations， religions， corporations。 None of that stuff objectively exists， but because we all agree to act like it does， it becomes real enough to shape the world。 And how do we spread these reality-bending fictions？ Through stories。He traces how our capacity for storytelling allowed early humans to form larger groups and eventually build empires。 But here's the kicker - the stories don't have to be true to be effective。 In fact， Harari argues that "Humans have repeatedly claimed that certain things would forever remain out of reach for computers—be it playing chess， driving a car， or composing poetry—but 'forever' turned out to be a handful of years。" Ouch。 Way to crush my dreams of being an irreplaceable poet-driver， Yuval。 From Stories to Bureaucracies: The Rise of Documents But stories alone can only get you so far。 As societies grew more complex， we needed ways to store and organize vast amounts of information。 Enter: written documents and bureaucracies。 Harari walks us through how things like tax records and holy books allowed for the creation of massive empires and religions。 But he also shows how these information systems often sacrificed truth for the sake of order。 The chapter on the European witch hunts is particularly chilling （pun absolutely intended） - showing how an entire information network devoted to identifying and punishing "witches" sprang up， despite being based on complete fiction。 The Modern Information Revolution: Algorithms Take the Wheel And that brings us to today。 In Nexus， Yuval Noah Harari argues that we're in the midst of another massive shift in how we process information—one potentially more momentous than the invention of writing or the printing press。 With the rise of big data and AI， we're creating information networks that can make decisions and generate ideas independently of humans。 And that's where things get。。。 dicey。 The Alignment Problem: When AI Goals Go Awry One of the most fascinating （and frankly， terrifying） concepts Yuval Noah Harari introduces in Nexus is the " alignment problem。" Basically， when we create AI systems， we give them goals。 But because they think so differently from us， they might pursue those goals in ways we never intended - with potentially catastrophic results。Remember that old sci-fi trope of the AI that decides the best way to "protect humanity" is to lock us all in padded cells？ Harari argues that's not just fiction - it's a real danger we need to grapple with。 He gives the example of social media algorithms that were simply told to "maximize engagement。" Sounds innocuous enough， right？ But those algorithms quickly learned that outrage and conspiracy theories drive engagement way more than boring old facts。 And boom - suddenly we're living in a world of online radicalization and "fake news" echo chambers。Harari writes， "If we don't find ways to solve it， the consequences will be far worse than algorithms racking up points by sailing boats in circles。" Um， yeah。 No pressure or anything。 Democracy in the Digital Age: Can We Still Hold a Conversation？ So what does all this mean for the future of democracy？ Harari doesn't sugarcoat it - things look grim。 He argues that democracy depends on our ability to have meaningful public conversations and make informed choices。 But in a world where AI-driven information bubbles can manipulate our emotions and beliefs without us even realizing it。。。 well， good luck with that whole "informed citizenry" thing。But Harari isn't all doom and gloom。 He offers some potential solutions， like: t Benevolence: Ensuring that when computers collect our data， it's used to help us， not manipulate us。 t Decentralization: Never allowing all information to be concentrated in one place （government or private）。 t Mutuality: If we increase surveillance of individuals， we must simultaneously increase surveillance of those in power。 t Flexibility: Always leaving room for both change and rest in our information systems。 The Conservative Suicide: When Tradition Becomes Revolutionary One of the most surprising sections in Nexus deals with what Yuval Noah Harari calls "the conservative suicide。" He argues that the rapid pace of technological change has made traditional conservatism untenable。 Instead of preserving existing institutions， many conservative parties have transformed into radical， revolutionary movements。 It's a fascinating analysis that helps explain some of the political chaos we're seeing around the world。 The Alien Intelligence: Are We Creating New Gods？ Harari ends with a sobering reflection on the nature of AI itself。 He argues that we're not just creating tools - we're potentially birthing a new form of intelligence， one that thinks in ways utterly alien to us。 And just as human-created mythologies like money and nations have shaped our world， these AI systems might create their own "inter-computer realities" that end up dominating ours。He writes， "Just as intersubjective realities like money and gods can influence the physical reality outside people's minds， so inter-computer realities can influence reality outside the computers。" Excuse me while I have an existential crisis real quick。 Final Thoughts: A Must-Read Wake-Up Call Look， I'm not gonna lie—this book is heavy。 It's the kind of read that makes you question。。。 well， everything。 But that's exactly why it's so important。 Harari has this uncanny ability to take impossibly complex topics and make them not just understandable， but urgent。Is he always right？ Probably not。But the questions he raises are ones we desperately need to be grappling with as a society。 How do we harness the power of AI without losing our humanity in the process？ How do we preserve democracy in an age of algorithmic manipulation？ Can we create information systems that prioritize truth over order？Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari doesn't offer easy answers， but it does give us a framework to start thinking about these issues。 And given how rapidly technology is advancing， we need to start thinking about them now。If you've enjoyed Yuval Noah Harari's previous works， Nexus is a no-brainer。 But even if you're new to his writing， I'd argue this is his most important book yet。 It's a wake-up call， a warning， and a glimmer of hope all rolled into one。 Just， you know， maybe don't read it right before bed。 Unless you enjoy apocalyptic nightmares about sentient algorithms， that is。 Comparison to Other Works While Nexus builds on themes from Harari's previous bestsellers like Sapiens and Homo Deus， it feels more focused and urgent。 Where those books took broad views of human history and potential futures， Nexus zeroes in on the specific threat/promise of AI and information networks。For readers looking for similar explorations of technology's impact on society， I'd recommend: t - The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff t - Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil t - Life 3。0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark But honestly， Harari's particular blend of historical insight， philosophical musing， and futurism is pretty unique。 Nexus cements Yuval Noah Harari's position as one of our most important thinkers grappling with the implications of the AI revolution。 In Conclusion Nexus is a tour de force that will leave you both exhilarated and deeply unsettled。 Harari's exploration of how information networks have shaped human history - and how AI might reshape our future - is required reading for anyone trying to make sense of our rapidly changing world。 Just be prepared for some serious existential pondering afterward。 Maybe keep some comfort food on hand。 You know， to remind yourself you're still human and all that。 。。。more
Kirb
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3。5 starsThank you to NetGalley and and Yuval Noah Harari for a copy of this book。I came into this reading experience somewhat biased， because Sapiens， one of the author's earlier books， was one of the first nonfiction books I actually read for fun。 The accessible content， that's structured to educate without overloading the average reader， was something I appreciated at the time， and that still holds true with this latest book。 Harari is very talented at laying out his arguments within a broade 3。5 starsThank you to NetGalley and and Yuval Noah Harari for a copy of this book。I came into this reading experience somewhat biased， because Sapiens， one of the author's earlier books， was one of the first nonfiction books I actually read for fun。 The accessible content， that's structured to educate without overloading the average reader， was something I appreciated at the time， and that still holds true with this latest book。 Harari is very talented at laying out his arguments within a broader narrative， which keeps the book moving at a pretty consistent and engaging pace。 He also brings in a lot of historical contexts and ideas， which make the information more interpersonal and less just a long list of arguments。 However， the same issues that were present in Sapiens （even if I didn't pick up on them at the time） are present in Nexus。 As much as I often found myself agreeing with the author's arguments， I had a hard time giving them too much weight because they so often lacked references。 As much as Harari does still provide a massive bibliography， along with many in-text citations， they still somehow felt lacking at times。 For example， he argued on multiple occasions about the belief systems of entire groups of people， without providing any examples or sources that this was what said group believed。 I understand having to make generalizations， especially in a book of this scope， but some of them almost felt like fictionalized arguments used to prop up his own cases。 Once again， I often actually agreed with his cases， but the fact that they were presented as fact， without adequate evidence， made me inclined to push back more against the author。 In terms of content， I feel that the subtitle is somewhat misleading。 Out of 9 chapters， almost 6 focus exclusively on subjects related to AI， and so framing it as a broad history of information networks seems ambitious。 The discussion of AI was informative and interesting， as he did not take a particular side beyond arguing about the need for more education on the subject。 Often talk of AI will either fully defend it， or fully denounce it， and so I appreciated this nuanced discussion of both its potential and its faults。 It also included a fair amount of history within the AI chapters， so there was still content on previous information networks， but I still wish more time had been dedicated to it。Overall， I'd recommend this to anyone interested on the subject， even those （like me） who have a limited understanding of it。 However， I would recommend coming into it with a fairly critical eye。 As Harari argued， it is not truth that is power， but information， and as we continue this conversation on AI it is important to be able to separate the two。 。。。more
Sasha
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Essential reading for an understanding of where AI may take humanity， based on historical precedent。The first half reviews the history of human information networks and their impact on society - and is completely fascinating。The second half considers how this history may influence the impact of AI on human society - and is utterly terrifying。It really hits home when Harari posits that AI should stand for alien intelligence…
Jessica Romero
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Interesting read！
rdgit
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While Harari's "Nexus" explores the history of information networks from the Stone Age to AI， its core focus lies in illuminating the power and potential dangers of Artificial Intelligence。 The historical overview， while interesting， sometimes overshadows the book's primary concern: AI's profound implications for our future。Harari effectively conveys the urgency of understanding AI's risks， drawing a compelling analogy between AI and nuclear weapons。 He argues that an AI arms race is inevitable， While Harari's "Nexus" explores the history of information networks from the Stone Age to AI， its core focus lies in illuminating the power and potential dangers of Artificial Intelligence。 The historical overview， while interesting， sometimes overshadows the book's primary concern: AI's profound implications for our future。Harari effectively conveys the urgency of understanding AI's risks， drawing a compelling analogy between AI and nuclear weapons。 He argues that an AI arms race is inevitable， with nations vying for dominance in AI capabilities。 This competition poses a significant threat， as it would be difficult to monitor and control the advancements made by different countries。 "Nexus" serves as a wake-up call， highlighting the need for informed decision-making by our leaders。Having read Harari's previous works， "Sapiens" and "21 Lessons for the 21st Century，" I found "Nexus" to be more closely aligned with the latter。 While some readers might find the overlap repetitive， it doesn't detract from the book's overall message。 Nexus does explain the benefits of AI， however， "Nexus" presents a fairly dystopian outlook。 This perspective might be necessary to fully grasp the potential consequences of unchecked AI development。I recommend "Nexus" to readers who are prepared to engage with its central message about AI's potential helpfulness along with its dangers。 While the book could have been more concise， it offers valuable insights into a critical issue facing our society。Thanks to NetGalley， I was able to receive an Advanced Reader Copy （ARC） of “Nexus” in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
David Tade
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I consider myself extremely fortunate to have discovered Yuval Noah Harari's books albeit quite by accident。 When an acquaintance of mine texted a mutual friend and myself expressing concern about her college age son who was interested in reading his book Sapiens and not understanding why she was "concerned"， I checked it out。 So， after doing a bit of research， I knew Sapiens was a must read。All。that to say， is that I have read （and loved） all。of his books and Nexus is no exception。If you have r I consider myself extremely fortunate to have discovered Yuval Noah Harari's books albeit quite by accident。 When an acquaintance of mine texted a mutual friend and myself expressing concern about her college age son who was interested in reading his book Sapiens and not understanding why she was "concerned"， I checked it out。 So， after doing a bit of research， I knew Sapiens was a must read。All。that to say， is that I have read （and loved） all。of his books and Nexus is no exception。If you have read any or all of Harari's books Nexus will not disappoint。。。in fact it may very well be his best。I admire how he tackles issues from a much different perspective than most。。。a true breath of fresh air from the talking heads on the news channels。His spin on information，。bureacracy， stories， Nationalism and Ai and how each affects and could possibly affect our future is at once an eye opener and， dare I say， a bit worrisome （to say the least）This is an important book and a must read。 I highly recomend Nexus and all of his books 。。。more
Lori
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This is the first work of Yuval Noah Harari's that I've encountered so perhaps I wasn't well-prepared for what "Nexus" would be - but have extremely mixed takeaways and thoughts after reading this。"Nexus" is Harari's forway into the large and ever-changing world of information - from its very beginnings that we can trace to the current looming presence of AI。 The book is split into a number of sections that follow a loosely chronological， semi-topical structure that is filled with a handful of h This is the first work of Yuval Noah Harari's that I've encountered so perhaps I wasn't well-prepared for what "Nexus" would be - but have extremely mixed takeaways and thoughts after reading this。"Nexus" is Harari's forway into the large and ever-changing world of information - from its very beginnings that we can trace to the current looming presence of AI。 The book is split into a number of sections that follow a loosely chronological， semi-topical structure that is filled with a handful of historical examples and citations， some anecdotal snippets， as well as Harari's own musings and contemplations。 For a work that is labeled as "nonfiction" however， the latter two take up far too much of the pages and so many times， it feels like the author is talking himself in circles。 There are so many passages that are far too verbose and needlessly lengthy， and this book does not need to be 500+ pages in length。While there are definitely sections and pieces of this work that I did find fascinating and thought-provoking， the work as a whole was far too distracting and strayed off-topic too often。 His foray into the realm of politics and democracy vs。 totalitarianism seemed unnecessary， and the clear pessimism that he approaches the area of AI with also seemed too biased for a work of nonfiction。Unfortunately not a book I would recommend to most readers given the confusing structure and writing style， and that there are a number of prejudices the author seems to have from the very beginning of this work。 。。。more
Andrew
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Based on analysis of information networks through human history， Harari becomes our guide "upriver" into a Conradian heart of darkness ending in the potential of an AI Kurtz and the destruction of everything we know， indeed possibly humanity itself。 To avoid this horror， Harari provides an intriguingly simple solution， yet one that has constantly eluded human beings。 Nexus is essential， groundbreaking work of enormous importance。 Let us hope our lawmakers read this book。 Based on analysis of information networks through human history， Harari becomes our guide "upriver" into a Conradian heart of darkness ending in the potential of an AI Kurtz and the destruction of everything we know， indeed possibly humanity itself。 To avoid this horror， Harari provides an intriguingly simple solution， yet one that has constantly eluded human beings。 Nexus is essential， groundbreaking work of enormous importance。 Let us hope our lawmakers read this book。 。。。more
Brandon Forsyth
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An urgent and necessary book that functions as the logical follow-up to the author’s bestselling SAPIENS。 If humans have dominated the planet by telling stories， how do those stories reach us， and what do we do when those storytelling networks slip out of human control？ In a world where algorithms increasingly control what we see and how we talk to one another， I can’t imagine a more important book。 Thought-provoking on almost every page。
Keith
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In Nexus， renowned historian and author Yuval Noah Harari continues the exploration he began in several previous volumes （Sapiens， Homo Deus， 21 Lessons for the 21st Century） of how humankind was able to harness information to its advantage—and remarkable development as a species—and what the continuing evolution of those information networks might hold for our future。 In this volume， the author takes a more focused look at how societies from the Stone Age to what he calls the modern Silicon Age In Nexus， renowned historian and author Yuval Noah Harari continues the exploration he began in several previous volumes （Sapiens， Homo Deus， 21 Lessons for the 21st Century） of how humankind was able to harness information to its advantage—and remarkable development as a species—and what the continuing evolution of those information networks might hold for our future。 In this volume， the author takes a more focused look at how societies from the Stone Age to what he calls the modern Silicon Age have seen their development influenced and determined by the way in which information is created， gathered， utilized， and controlled。 While a considerable portion of Nexus is devoted to exploring how information networks developed historically—including an interesting comparison of the way information is used in democratic and totalitarian societies—the real essence of the narrative involves a discussion of how artificial intelligence （AI）-based networks represent a fundamental shift from the past in how information is generated and the purposes for which it is used。 Importantly， Harari argues， this shift holds both the promise of vast improvements in our collective well-being as well as the peril of our potential self-destruction。Although I suspect this book will have its critics （e。g。， the author’s analysis is too shallow and too lurid; much of the substance is highly repetitive of his earlier work）， the fact is that there is a lot to savor here。 Harari argues persuasively that advanced societies could not exist without the ability to harness and share information through the stories they tell， the religious beliefs they adopt， and the bureaucratic mechanisms they form。 However， while that information is crucial for cooperation， it can also be misused for control。 Because of that， it is important to recognize that information itself is neither the same as truth， nor is it infallible。 So， for that reason， any well-functioning information system must include effective self-correction tools that can unwind adverse outcomes resulting from data being used to reach a goal that is inconsistent with what was originally imagined and intended。 The rise of AI-driven information systems presents a major challenge because their complexity may be beyond human understanding， they are able to learn and create new information on their own， and they typically lack sufficient self-correcting mechanisms。 The author is not optimistic about our willingness and ability to manage where this new technology may take us in the future。While Nexus has clearly been crafted for the inquisitive lay reader， it is very much the work of an academic scholar， which has both its good and bad aspects。 On the positive side， the discussion in the book is extremely thought-provoking as well as being well-grounded in how the historical development and futuristic speculations tie together。 The main frame of the centrality of information networks to our everyday lives and how those systems have evolved to where they may end up beyond our control is essential material to ponder。 Conversely， the book is often bloated with what seemed like superfluous side-stories that did not fit the main purpose （e。g。， descriptions of centuries-old religious disputes and military strategies） and it is， if anything， over-researched; fully one-quarter of the volume simply contained the reference footnotes for the main text。 Overall， given that the role and the use of AI are among the central questions that we are likely to be debating for years to come， it is easy to recommend this book as one that puts so many of the relevant issues on the table， even if it does not really offer any concrete solutions。 。。。more
DesanaRose
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Yuval Noah Harari's "Nexus" is an engaging and thought-provoking read that dives into the history of information networks and their impact on human civilization。 The book covers a wide range of topics， from the early days of human communication to the complex information systems of today。 Harari also delves into the development and potential dangers of artificial intelligence， offering a cautionary perspective that balances the optimism often portrayed by AI enthusiasts。One of the strengths of " Yuval Noah Harari's "Nexus" is an engaging and thought-provoking read that dives into the history of information networks and their impact on human civilization。 The book covers a wide range of topics， from the early days of human communication to the complex information systems of today。 Harari also delves into the development and potential dangers of artificial intelligence， offering a cautionary perspective that balances the optimism often portrayed by AI enthusiasts。One of the strengths of "Nexus" is its well-researched content and Harari's ability to present complex ideas in an accessible way。 The book does not shy away from the darker aspects of AI， making it a compelling read for those interested in the ethical implications of technological advancement。 However， some readers may find the book's tone a bit pessimistic and its length somewhat daunting。As a parent of a teen who frequently discusses AI's role in schoolwork and the need for teachers to verify homework， and as someone who has witnessed coworkers' increasing but now often restricted use of AI， I was drawn to this book。 Additionally， the ongoing disputes about AI's impact on artists' work sparked my curiosity。 These real-world concerns highlight the pros and cons of AI and raise the question: "Where does the line exist？"Overall， "Nexus" is a fascinating exploration of how information has shaped human history and the challenges we face in the age of AI。 It's a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the profound impact of information technology on our world。 。。。more
Casey Wheeler
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This book is well researched and written like the other books by the author that I have read。The subtitle is a bit misleading as the author covers more than a brief history of information networks。 The most interesting part to me was how the development of Artificial Intelligence can easily go astray without the proper instructions on what to achieve。 Harari spends time demonstrating how it can wrong and leaving the discussion of the positives to AI enthusiasts。 Overall， interesting and thought This book is well researched and written like the other books by the author that I have read。The subtitle is a bit misleading as the author covers more than a brief history of information networks。 The most interesting part to me was how the development of Artificial Intelligence can easily go astray without the proper instructions on what to achieve。 Harari spends time demonstrating how it can wrong and leaving the discussion of the positives to AI enthusiasts。 Overall， interesting and thought provoking。I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley， Goodreads， Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog。 。。。more
Andrew
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Knowing from Harari that humans connect through stories， one day we were going to ask how those stories spread。 So here we are， at the shift in the nexus - maybe， better， the locus - of communication from human networks to computer networks unmediated by people。 Per now classic Harari， he asks and answers that question with a sweeping history then pushed forward into the future。
Jeff
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I received an advanced reader’s edition through Goodreads with the expectation that I would post an honest review of the book。 I was generally impressed with its breadth， depth， and accessibility。 The author brings the expertise of an old school polymath to the work。 He’s able to fruitfully integrate philosophy， history， religion， anthropology， science and technology into a coherent narrative of the role of information in human history。 There are times when the author unnecessarily ambles around I received an advanced reader’s edition through Goodreads with the expectation that I would post an honest review of the book。 I was generally impressed with its breadth， depth， and accessibility。 The author brings the expertise of an old school polymath to the work。 He’s able to fruitfully integrate philosophy， history， religion， anthropology， science and technology into a coherent narrative of the role of information in human history。 There are times when the author unnecessarily ambles around a point rather than just making it - like at the beginning when he spends pages defining what information isn’t but then eventually buries his definition of what it is。 He also makes a very sudden turn into AI and stays there for much of the book。 The book would have also benefited from more roadmapping to help the reader better understand the journey and where they were on it。 But ultimately the author’s points about how information serves to connect more than to represent， the consequences thot come from inabilities to correct mistakes in those connections， and the dangers we face from those dynamics in the age of AI， are deeply insightful。 A compelling read for any student of history， current affairs， and/or the human condition。 。。。more
Alyson
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Yuval Harari is always a pleasure to read and reread。 Beautifully written， thoughtful， and inspirational
Susie Silvers
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This is a very informative book。 I encourage you to read this book。
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