Can AI Without Human Consciousness Make Us Disappear? Discover Why in Nexus.
On September 16, 2024, I attended a conversation between Yuval Noah Harari and Nicholas Thompson (the CEO of The Atlantic since 2021) at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington. The event was a thought-provoking dive into Harari's latest book, Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI. Known for his sweeping historical narratives, Harari once again demonstrated his ability to blend historical insight with pressing modern-day concerns, particularly our evolving relationship with information.
Yuval Noah Harari, a historian and philosopher, has gained global recognition for his groundbreaking works, including Sapiens, Homo Deus, and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. With over 30 million copies sold worldwide, his books have made him a ‘rock star’ in both the intellectual and tech worlds, captivating readers from students to global leaders. Sapiens has even been adapted into a graphic novel in three volumes, making his ideas accessible to a younger generation and readers outside traditional academia.
A Moment of Reflection in a Historic Space
Yuval Noah Harari and Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, engaged in a conversation at a Politics and Prose event, seated on stage at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington in September 2024.
As I sat in a balcony of this historical theatre, as a reminder of the struggles in defence of black people's rights, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of the moment as Harari unravelled the complex and often uncomfortable truths about how information—whether through myths, religions, or today’s algorithms—has shaped human history and will continue to define our future.
The story of human civilization is how we’ve built and maintained vast information networks. From the invention of language to the rise of democracy and totalitarianism, from early religious texts to modern AI systems, information has always been both our greatest asset and our greatest danger. The stakes, as Harari argues, have never been higher than they are now, with artificial intelligence standing on the cusp of fundamentally reshaping not just our societies but the nature of life itself.
Harari weaves past, present, and future together, demonstrating how information networks have always been the bedrock of human cooperation, control, and conflict. But the critical question remains: Are these networks still working in our favor, or have we, as Harari warns, created something we can no longer control?
Information is the lifeblood of civilization, but as Harari shows, it’s not just about what we know but how that knowledge is distributed and controlled. Throughout history, those who control information have wielded power, often determining the fate of entire societies.
The Power of Networks: Information as Control
Harari explores how societies have long relied on information as a tool for control, from ancient religious texts to modern algorithms.
A digital illustration showing a web of interconnected glowing points and lines, symbolizing data networks and the flow of information.
Harari opens Nexus by diving into the power that information holds over societies. He explores how human beings have always organized themselves around narratives—stories that provide meaning and, in many cases, control. From religious texts to political ideologies, these narratives have built the very structure of civilization. Yet, as Harari highlights, this accumulation of information has not always led to wisdom or moral advancement. More often than not, it has led to control and manipulation.
One of the most striking examples Harari brings up is the role of totalitarian regimes in the 20th century. Through carefully crafted propaganda and mass surveillance, leaders like Hitler, Stalin, and Mao were able to wield vast information networks to manipulate entire populations. Harari parallels today’s world, where misinformation and AI-driven algorithms subtly (and sometimes not-so-subtly) influence our decisions, creating a form of control we are often unaware of. It’s a chilling thought: in our hyper-connected world, are we as free as we think we are?
Harari’s exploration of how networks are curated and controlled reveals how religious institutions have shaped societal roles for centuries. Just as 20th-century dictators wielded control through propaganda, religious institutions across history have shaped societies by selectively promoting narratives that reinforce power structures.
Harari highlights how early Christian leaders intentionally selected and promoted texts that restricted women’s roles in the church, such as the First Epistle to Timothy, which explicitly barred women from leadership positions.
This wasn’t a divine decree but an editorial decision that shaped how societies viewed women’s capabilities. In contrast, alternative texts like the Gospel of Mary and the Acts of Paul and Thecla supported women in leadership roles. Still, these were excluded during the canonization of the Bible. This act of curating information is a powerful reminder that control over knowledge often means control over society.
But it’s not just about controlling information—it’s also about organizing it. Harari points out that much of the power of regimes, whether authoritarian or democratic, lies in how they order information. Bureaucrats, administrators, and officials are the invisible architects who organize data into systems that keep societies running smoothly—or enable greater control. Without this order, even the most valuable information is little more than chaos.
From Stone Age Myths to AI Algorithms
As Harari traces the evolution of information networks, he shows how myths once shaped early societies just as algorithms do today.
In early societies, mythology and storytelling were the original "networks" that connected people, allowing large groups to cooperate based on shared beliefs, even when those beliefs were based on fiction or delusions. The invention of writing and later technologies like the printing press expanded these networks, enabling the rise of religions, empires, and nation-states.
But what struck me reading his book and during the event—and what makes Nexus so relevant today—is Harari’s exploration of how modern information technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, reshape our relationship with information and power in similarly dangerous ways. While mythology once connected societies through shared stories and beliefs, today, algorithms curate the information we consume, deciding what we see, read, feel, and believe.
Harari warns that just as totalitarian regimes in the 20th century used propaganda to manipulate entire populations (and still do), AI has the potential to become the most powerful propaganda tool ever created. The information networks we now rely on—social media platforms, search engines, and AI-driven systems—are not just neutral tools. They shape our realities in ways we barely understand, often without conscious awareness.
This historical pattern of using information networks to control populations is not just a relic of the past but escalates in the modern-day practices of authoritarian regimes.
Harari reminds us that information alone is not enough; how we interpret it truly matters. From myths that explained the world to early humans to political ideologies that shaped nations, the stories we create from information drive action. It is shared interpretation and collective beliefs that give raw data its power.
During the event, Nicholas Thompson shared a moment from an interview with Jeff Bezos, where Harari’s books were prominently displayed in the background. Harari has also caught the attention of other tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, who promoted Sapiens but, during the conversation, didn’t seem to fully grasp Harari’s perspective on the social consequences of technology. Harari is equally critical of Elon Musk, cautioning against a purely technocratic future vision. While some of these CEOs may view his ideas as overly apocalyptic, Harari’s insights resonate with observers of global geopolitics as the threats to democracy grow increasingly urgent.
A propaganda-style image representing authoritarian regimes. It features figures with stern expressions, the communist hammer and sickle symbol, and a surveillance camera in the background.
AI’s Role in Our Democratic Crisis
Harari raises alarms about AI's accelerating role in shaping public opinion and threatening the integrity of democratic systems.
Perhaps the most urgent part of Nexus is Harari’s exploration of how AI could reshape democracy and power in the 21st century. Harari warns that without intervention, we may be approaching an era of AI-driven totalitarianism. He points to historical examples like Stalinism and Nazism to show how totalitarian regimes have always relied on controlling information. He highlights how China now maintains strict surveillance over its population with a social credit system. Unlike in the past, today’s authoritarian figures have much more powerful tools.
The spread of misinformation, coupled with cyber warfare tactics used by countries like Russia, China, Iran and others, shows the stark difference between systems that self-regulate and those that rigidly control. Harari explains that while scientific communities thrive by correcting errors—admitting what they got wrong and moving forward—authoritarian regimes do the opposite. They suppress dissent, refuse to acknowledge their failings, and project an image of infallibility. This inability to adapt or correct course makes these regimes more dangerous in the long run, especially as AI and cyber technologies increase their ability to spread propaganda and control their populations.
Harari's threat is not the traditional image of AI as killer robots or sentient machines taking over. Instead, it’s the subtler, more insidious possibility that AI will erode the very foundations of democracy by manipulating public opinion and concentrating power in the hands of a few tech elites. Social media algorithms already prioritize engagement over accuracy, wisdom or happiness, and AI systems are becoming more adept at creating personalized realities that isolate us in ideological bubbles. The question Harari asks is whether we can still trust these networks to serve the common good—or if they will eventually enslave us.
Harari’s warnings are clear: if we don’t start regulating AI and the tech companies that control these systems, we risk losing our autonomy and, with it, the democratic institutions that depend on an informed and engaged public.
A man standing alone under a spotlight, with shadows surrounding him. The scene evokes a sense of isolation and introspection, symbolic of existential questions and human consciousness.
A Personal Reflection on Nexus’s Urgent Message
As I reflect on Harari’s Nexus, I can’t help but feel a growing sense of urgency. His exploration of ancient and modern information networks forces us to confront some brutal truths about our current trajectory. Humanity has always been shaped by the stories we tell ourselves, but as AI takes on the role of storyteller, we may find ourselves in a narrative we no longer control.
Harari’s skepticism towards the unchecked influence of technology giants highlights a crucial point: wealth and innovation alone won’t solve the existential threats we face. As AI and information networks reshape society, preserving democracy is at stake, and it will require more than money to safeguard our future. Far from being overly pessimistic, Harari's vision reflects a sobering realism we ignore at our peril.
Harari's insights about authoritarian regimes and their refusal to self-correct become more alarming as we move further into the AI age. In a world where cyber warfare and AI can distort truth at an unprecedented scale, the distinction between flexible systems like science and rigid systems like authoritarian ideologies becomes critical. Suppose we cannot develop similar mechanisms to correct the course of democracy in the digital age. In that case, we risk falling into the same traps of delusion that have empowered oppressive regimes throughout history.
While we live in an age of unprecedented technological advancement, we are still grappling with the same existential questions: Who controls information? And how do we ensure that power is wielded wisely?
Harari’s warnings go even further. In Nexus, he speculates that if we mishandle AI, we risk more than just the downfall of humanity. As he puts it:
“AI might extinguish not only the human dominion on Earth but the light of consciousness itself, turning the universe into a realm of utter darkness.”
The responsibility to prevent this lies squarely on our shoulders, and our decisions now could determine whether we survive as a species or fade into oblivion.
Harari cautions that wisdom becomes our most valuable asset in an age of abundant information and easily manipulated interpretations. It’s not just about having the data but knowing how to use it wisely. This wisdom will determine whether we thrive or fall in a world increasingly shaped by AI and misinformation.
If we fail to protect and nurture consciousness, we risk losing our individual and collective identities and the very essence of what makes life meaningful.
A Call for Leadership in an Era of Transformation
In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, leaders are tasked with making decisions that not only shape their organizations but also have the potential to impact society at large. As Yuval Noah Harari suggests, the future we build will be determined by how we use information and technology—wisely or recklessly.
For CEOs and executives, this is both a profound opportunity and a great responsibility. It's not just about steering your company through the complexities of the digital age, but also about ensuring that the innovations you champion benefit the wider world without undermining the democratic and ethical foundations upon which our societies are built.
As an executive coach, I specialize in helping leaders cultivate the wisdom necessary to make decisions that matter, not just for today, but for the future we are creating. Together, we can navigate the challenges posed by AI, technology, and information networks—balancing innovation with humanity, growth with responsibility, and power with purpose.
Source:
Yuval Noah Harari, Nexus, A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to Ai, Penguin, Random House, Canada.
