The perils of information technology

Yuval Noah Harari is the globally acclaimed historian and author of several nonfiction bestsellers (Sapiens, Homo Deus and 21 Lessons for the 21stCentury). His latest book is Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, published in 2024 by Random House.

The book explores the historical evolution of information systems and contends that networks of communication have actually shaped human civilization. In this book, the author takes the reader from primitive oral traditions to the digital revolution and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and discusses the complex and often paradoxical role of information in human history.

Harari argues that information is not merely a tool for knowledge dissemination but a fundamental structure that binds society together. Many believe that the free flow of information leads to enlightenment and truth. However, Harari writes that this information has also been historically used to create myths, enforce authority and manipulate the masses. He argues that societies not only function by the sheer force of truth but by the narratives they construct whether through religion, nationalism or economic ideologies.

In his book, he traces the history of information systems from oral traditions in early human society. He narrates how early humans relied on storytelling to pass down knowledge, maintain social cohesion and instill collective beliefs. The invention of writing marked a turning point by allowing societies to store and transmit knowledge more accurately. Writing led to the birth of bureaucracy, organized religion and legal systems giving rise to more complex civilizations.

During the Middle Ages, the printing press revolutionized the way information was disseminated. Guttenberg’s invention facilitated the spread of scientific knowledge, literacy and political propaganda. However, Harari also talks about the darker side of communication. The printing press played a role in inciting witch hunts and spreading radical ideology.

Harari discusses the influence in the modern era of the telegraph, radio, television and ultimately, the internet. He writes that every technological breakthrough has also introduced new mechanisms of control and deception. He also warns of the coming of AI: “Not only philosophers and social scientists but also many leading AI experts and entrepreneurs like Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton, Sam Altman, Elon Musk and Mustapha Sulayman have warned the public that AI could destroy our civilization… In a 2023 survey of 2,778 AI researchers, more than a third gave at least a 10 percent chance to advance AI leading to outcomes as bad as human extinction.” The book dwells on this topic extensively.

A chapter that’s particularly interesting to me is Chapter 5 entitled “Decisions: A Brief History of Democracy and Totalitarianism.” Harari writes: “To summarize, a dictatorship is a centralized information network, lacking strong self-correcting mechanisms. A democracy, in contrast, is a distributed information network, possessing strong self-correcting mechanisms.”

In this chapter, Harari writes how potential dictators can exploit democratic elections and how numerous democratically elected governments have disenfranchised many of their population. He writes: “Of course, most assaults on democracy are more subtle. The careers of strong men like Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban, Recep Erdogan, Rodrigo Duterte, Jair Bolsonaro and Benjamin Netanyahu demonstrate how a leader who uses democracy to rise to power can then use his power to undermine democracy… The typical strongman either deprives courts of their powers or packs them with his loyalists and seeks to close all independent media outlets while building his own omnipresent propaganda machine… Academic institutions, municipalities, NGOs and private businesses are either dismantled or brought under government control… The government can also rig the elections at will, for example, by jailing popular opposition leaders or disenfranchising voters… The strong men don’t usually take the final step of abolishing the elections outright. Instead, they keep them as a ritual that serves to provide legitimacy and maintain a democratic façade as happens, for example, in Putin’s Russia.”

In the same chapter, Harari writes about the dangers of populism. Throughout the book, Harari discusses how information can serve both as a unifying and divisive force. On one hand, the democratization of knowledge has empowered individuals, fostered scientific progress and facilitated global connectivity. On the other hand, the same networks have been exploited to spread fake news, manipulate public opinion and deepen social divisions. Harari discusses the Facebook-driven information campaigns that have influenced elections and even incited violence. He argues that when social media was initially celebrated as a toll for free expression, it has increasingly become a battleground for disinformation, corporate exploitation and political control.

Harari is also concerned about the concentration of power in the hands of a few technology companies that control vast amounts of data. He warns that without ethical regulations and oversight, this concentration of AI technology could exacerbate inequality, disrupt economies and undermine democratic institutions. One of his most chilling scenarios is when governments can automate decision-making processes in civil governance and even warfare.

Harari’s book Nexus is very relevant in today’s age of misinformation, big data and artificial intelligence. It should serve as a guide and as a cautionary tale for us to critically examine the information networks that truly shape our understanding of the present world.