3.5 stars rounding up. Pretty interesting, but not quite as sweeping as it bills itself. It does nominally span "from the Stone Age to AI" but it's pretty heavily backloaded - coverage of how "information networks" grew, from books to newspapers to the internet, is certainly there, but mostly in service of discussing how those information networks enabled the growth of political entities. For instance, that national-scale democracy was only made possible by the invention of widescale journalism, and newspapers spreading news to all around the nation (or, at least, those rich enough to a) afford the newspaper subscriptions and b) have the franchise); or centralized communism was dependent on the ability to accumulate reports and data from all around the country into the capital, and promulgate dictates back outward. Most of the book is ruminations on how AI might affect social and political life in both democratic and authoritarian states, so if that's what you're into it's thought-provoking. Certainly it feels topical - perhaps at the expense of having a shorter shelf-life than some of Harari's other books, when the pace of AI development leaves its discussion dated in the near future.

I'm a longtime fan of Yuval Noah Harari, so I was immediately intrigued by his new novel, Nexus, about A.I. In his previous books, Yuval emphasized how information has shaped human history, and in Nexus, he asks a vital question: If humans are so wise, why do we engage in self-destructive behaviors? He explores the unique risks of A.I. and its evolving influence over our future. This book is a timely exploration of both the potential and dangers of artificial intelligence. I highly recommend it to readers interested in these pressing issues. Thank you, Random House and NetGalley, for the ARC!

Yuval Noah Harari's newest book offers a overview of information and a cautionary tale regarding our charge forward into technology, but it failed to hold my interest. While it may serve as an introduction for new readers into the world of information and how it might affect us, I found the work simplistic and lacking in depth; and for a topic such as AI and information, details are important. Broad overviews delve into speculation which hinder the conversations that we need in ethics of information and dissemination. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the book, as it didn't meet my expectations for a more engaging or thought-provoking read.

An exploration of how humanity has created large information networks throughout history, what can go wrong in the process, and how these lessons can help us manage the contemporary challenges and dangers of AI—humanity’s biggest information revolution.

The main ideas of the book seem to be that information is not the same as knowledge and wisdom, and that, without the appropriate self-correcting mechanisms, information networks can lead to collective, self-perpetuating fallacies and delusions. Harari uses the example of the most successful information network in human history (in terms of longevity)—the Catholic Church—as an illustration of what can go wrong when self-correcting mechanisms are weak, versus systems that are more successful when the mechanisms are strong—e.g., modern medicine. He also makes the obvious point that democracies sustain more efficient self-correcting information networks than totalitarian regimes.

Overall, these are not especially controversial or groundbreaking claims: i.e., that more information doesn’t necessarily lead to more wisdom, that information networks do not by nature default to the truth over time and with more info (without the proper mechanisms), and that democracy leads to better outcomes versus top-down authoritarian regimes. While Harari is probably correct in these regards, it’s hard to find anything too profound here. It’s almost as if he’s set up an argument that almost no one actually believes—that more information always leads to better outcomes—just to play the part of an iconoclast.

A fantastic, albeit lengthy and detailed, new book by Herari on networks and AI fully illustrated by history provides a provocative view about the future. Will AI enslave us? More likely lead it will lead to profound social change as massive as the Industrial Revolution did in societal organization. Whether you are an academic, student or just interested in history, read this book to gain much better insight not so much on technology, but how we as humans use (and abuse) it. This is especially compelling in today’s politically fragmented environment in most western countries. Just remember the old maxim about innovation- we tend to over estimate the near term and under estimate the long term.

I struggled to get through this book and ultimately gave up. Was a dnf. I lost interest when the book.strayed into politics.

Many of my conversations these days are dominated by discussions of technology (AI, algorithms) and the societal divisiveness that they seem to be feeding. When I saw Harari's new book was in part about this very topic, I couldn't wait to read it.

From the initial comparison of AI to The Sorcerer's Apprentice, this book had me hooked. It dives (very thoroughly) into topics like information, truth, community, and extremism. It's a fascinating read and one that will stay with me.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well, what can I say this author never disappoints, another brilliant masterpiece that will keep living rent free in my head for many days and nights. The topics of AI is so vital for both our present and our future and this book provides a great understanding of where it may take humanity while explaining everything in an easily understandable and concise manner.

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.

Reviews are published now.
See my Instagram review here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C_eMLl8pCkZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6476297604?book_show_action=false

Thank you again for the ARC!

Since AI is being developed by technology companies, it makes sense to think of AI as simply a new technology. And that's true in one respect, but in Nexus, Yuval Noah Harari takes us behind the AI curtain to reveal how information networks have shaped societies for thousands of years. While AI is woven into our information networks, Yuval layers in the reality that AI is the first technology that can make decisions and create new ideas by itself. From this perspective, we can better understand the potential benefits, as well as the equally possible threats posed by AI's rapid adoption.

As Yuval notes, "All powerful information networks can do both good and ill, depending on how they are designed and used." As information can be true or false, it can be used to enlighten, as well as manipulate. That's always been the case, but in previous centuries the movement of information was slow, and access was limited. The march of technology has changed that, from the printing press to the telegraph, radio, television, etc.

The internet was a quantum leap in volume, speed, and availability, but with AI, a new wrinkle has been introduced. As Yuval states, "AI is the first technology in history that can make decisions and create new ideas by itself." On the positive side, these non-human entities that we're creating can help improve many aspects of life, such as improving healthcare and fighting climate change, but they can also help promote totalitarianism at the expense of democracy, and (further) prioritize profit over people. This is not a 'someday' scenario, as AI is already playing a role in each of these issues, but the jury is out as to what the future may bring. (I'll write a blog post after the book's release at www.storytellingwithimpact.com)

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 mechanisms
The 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 lAthis book from NetGalley and Random House.

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.

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.

A super interesting premise. I enjoyed learning about how algorithmic our world is, and has been. The abstract idea of an algorithm has always confused and intrigued me. I didn’t realize how the idea of an algorithm can be applied to so many things. This book did feel denser and a bit less accessible than his other books.

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.

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.

3.5 stars

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.

Yuval Noah Harari's fourth book "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. As per his other books, Harari's writing style is both accessible and insightful, making this book suitable for readers familiar with his previous works and newcomers alike.

In "Nexus," Harari explores how information shapes our reality, emphasizing that most information isn't merely an attempt to represent reality—it actively creates new realities by connecting disparate elements. Errors, lies, fantasies, and fictions are all forms of information. Institutions must have self-correcting mechanisms to navigate this complex landscape. Harari also delves into the delicate balance between truth and order in government information networks, highlighting the challenges posed by modern technology and the rise of artificial intelligence.

The heart of the book lies in Harari's warning: As carbon-based life forms, we must grapple with silicon-based networks (AI) that can make decisions and generate ideas independently. Unlike previous inventions like the printing press or radio, AI possesses the ability to gather vast amounts of information and engage in total surveillance. Whether this development will be beneficial or detrimental remains uncertain, but it will undoubtedly be alien and fallible.

In summary, "Nexus" is a wake-up call, a warning, and a glimmer of hope all rolled into one. Harari's exploration of information networks challenges us to consider the future of our interconnected world.

Harari takes an insightful look at the technologies of communication, from language to printing to AI, and how they affect civilization. His examples include Copernicus, Napoleon, witch trials, Nazi Germany, Donald Trump, the current war between Gaza and Israel, major events in robotics, and much, much more. Along the way, he clearly explains some important and thought-provoking ideas about truth, democracy, and other big questions.

The book is about the history of information networks, but it has important lessons for the future of AI as well. It's beautifully written and very accessible. A great choice for book clubs!

I already reviewed this book before. An extremely important book to be read by everyone. I enjoyed it immensely and recommended it highly.