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

This book is for literally everyone. The research that Harari puts in before creating such masterpieces in itself ensures that the readers will be able to greatly enhance their knowledge and awareness about History and how the historical systems has created the world we live in today. Information is a very crucial topic, and it is absolutely important to know about the history of information and connect it to the evolution of AI- this is exactly what the book offers. Brilliant.

“Nexus” by Yuval Noah Harari is a superb book, and it is the first book of his that I have thoroughly enjoyed. In a world where algorithms play an outsized role in influencing our communication, thoughts, moods, and opinions, this book offers a timely history of communication networks and how they have grown and influenced human thought. Yuval divided his book into ‘human networks,’ ‘the inorganic network,’ and ‘computer politics.’ He makes a crucial point that many authors miss when they write about the importance of the Gutenberg press in spreading ideas. Tools like the Gutenberg press enable information networks, and people use or misuse these tools to create and build information networks. Throughout the book, Yuval emphasizes that information is not knowledge or wisdom, which we forget in our so-called ‘information age.’ The first section ends with a brief chapter on democracy and totalitarianism. In an ideal situation, democracy contains self-correcting mechanisms. However, Yuval did not analyze how democracies are often failing today. The author distinguishes between authoritarianism and totalitarianism, creating the perfect platform for launching the next section, ‘The Inorganic Network.’ The second section comprises three chapters: distinguishing between computers and the printing press, emphasizing how the network is always on, always hungry for data, and how it is often wrong. The networked world we live in today is always wide awake, roving the world with open eyes. However, since they use past behavior to make predictions and rely on data, these networks often make more errors than we realize. However, these errors are costly, as Yuval explains in the book. Yuval dedicates the last section to computer politics and how these networks play out in the democratic and totalitarian worlds. In my opinion, he is too optimistic about democratic societies. While democracies ought to have self-correcting mechanisms, recent crackdowns on pro-Palestinian supporters do not augur well for democracies. Yuval makes a critical point: voting mechanisms do not create democracies. The inorganic networks play different roles in totalitarian regimes. Yuval raises essential points about democracies and the continued failure to hold conversations. Ultimately, will the world get divided into those who control information networks, those who use them, or those who allow the information networks to use them? This book is excellent, his best to date, and will give you much food for thought.

In this book Yuval has given some good insights about information networks and how have they shaped our history throughout. There were some interesting pieces of information about bureaucracy, religious books, technological advancements that shaped our collective thinking. Continuing in the same vein, the author poses questions as to what now AI holds in future for us. While there are some serious apprehensions posed by the author but all in all I remain optimistic that overall AI will be beneficial for the human race. A thought provoking book and a must read for everyone.

This book's mostly about the democracy and totalitarian regimes, their positives and negatives, and also how modern technology enabled the large scale democracy. There's a bit of fear mongering in the end, but it's a good read.

It is an excellent history of Human development in terms of information and how it evolved. Every new technology came with its own upside and downside and based on the type of government-democracy, autocracy, dictatorship, totalitarian etc. How each of them used information as a tool to bring about order or total submission. How more information does not automatically lead to truth or facts. And finally how AI can transform the entire landscape and how the human species may not be able to stand an AI onslaught and how AI is different from all the earlier information technology tools and inventions. Examples and illustrations from history are very well selected and told in a very interesting way. The author is a gripping story teller and brings to life historical events in a very relevant manner. I wish he could have gone a little more into various ways to control and use AI for the betterment of mankind, even though it is not his subject matter.

Most comprehensive and balanced in providing the understanding , the rights and duties of individuals and leaders as we venture into the unknowns of the AI era. Lessons from history and projections into the future are well researched and objective .

Interesting insights on how the Information technology is getting revolutionized through Artificial Intelligence and how this will affect every sphere of society , reshaping how we are governed and our interaction with every institution of society. Yuval explores the dangerous scenarios if this Technology is developed catering to the needs of fascist leaders and greedy corporates, also offering suggestions on the balanced approach needed to harness this powerful technology for the betterment of society.

It will keep you hooked, Yuval has taken us beautifully through the history and power of information and the future of information. He makes you think about how our world and society works, and how it might look in the future if we are not careful.

Generally I think I've been keeping up with AI developments. That is, until I hear about and test its next mind-bending ability. At which point I realise I was naive in thinking AI would never get this far. That's where this book comes in. Nexus is partly a history of technologies that convey human thought - from spoken word, stone tablets and books, through to computers, algorithms and AI. Harari has pinned down what was transformational about each technology, how it changed the landscape, and also how it was inevitably misused and exploited by humans. It's a lot of background, which I wasn't sure about at first, but by the end it definitely pays off because of the context provided. The book is very accessible and that does mean some repetition when bridging between stories. If you're new to the field, or are listening to the audiobook, or are dipping in and out, you'll probably appreciate that memory-jogging. It's a very thought-provoking read. I didn't know as much about its historical accounts as its modern ones, and Harari's style is clear and passionate without straying into emotional even if the subject matter is. The book is also thoroughly researched - I say that not only because of the numerous references, but because when Harari discusses topics I do know well (e.g. algorithms and 21st century), I pretty much always find myself in agreement with the text, which is rare for me. That reassurance meant I was able to get through it very quickly (especially the 2nd half). So why do I say "probably" in my review title? Well, if your job is future forecasting and you have some inside view of this tech that means you see it months or years in advance, then it is mainly the number of striking historical parallels that may enrich your view. But in fact I reckon this book's content is near-essential for much of the population, just like how we study and learn from major historical or scientific developments. We are all going to be affected by it more and more, unless you live totally off-grid forever. Is there a greater revolution in this time in history than the technological one(s)? This book says no. Today, you can certainly argue about AI's lack of personality and finesse, its influence in the political spheres and the controversy about the rights of artists and creators it has leveraged/exploited. (I always question now how much of the YouTube video I'm watching was conceived by a human or an AI, and how that affects trust.) But rightly or wrongly, the result is a staggering rate of development 24/7 which can almost be scary. And right now it's still in its infancy. In a nutshell, I'd say get a hold on this topic while it's still manageable. That's what I'm trying to do, and this book deepened my perspective hugely. Received in excellent condition. I wanted a paper copy for quicker reference, though I originally heard the audiobook instead.

A must read for every thinking person. The history of the violence-breeding Facebook algorithm in Myanmar I believe it was is particularly shocking. The positive feedback nature of tiktok and the like, rewarding our confirmation biases, may provide a rather simple and disturbing explanation of why tribes like Democrats and Republicans are drifting further and further apart.

Its not as good as sapience and deus

Nous confronte à la réalité de façon concise, clair et précise.

The evolution of information... From spoken language over writing, printing to the internet. Absolutely worthwhile reading.