Yuval Noah Harari on The Power of Truth in the Age of AI

Yuval Noah Harari explores the power of truth in the age of AI in this thought-provoking conversation about his new book "Nexus". Don't miss out on this deep dive into the intersection of democracy, artificial intelligence, history, and the concept of truth.

Yuval Noah Harari published an essay in the New York Times recently. “Large-scale democracies,” he wrote, “became feasible only after the rise of modern information technologies like the newspaper, the telegraph and the radio. The fact that modern democracy has been built on top of modern information technologies means that any major change in the underlying technology is likely to result in a political upheaval.” Well, we’re witnessing a major change in the underlying technology right now. Artificial intelligence is here, and if its proponents are to be believed, it will fundamentally transform how we consume information and communicate with each other. What this means for the future of democracy — and society as we know it — is the subject of Harari’s new book "Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI."

🎯 Key points for quick navigation:

00:17 *📖 Harari emphasizes the profound impact of storytelling in human connection.*
00:46 *📚 Harari's journey from obscurity to bestseller highlights the power of perseverance.*
01:12 *🌍 "Sapiens" transcends cultural boundaries, offering a unified human history.*
03:16 *🤝 "Sapiens" connects people through a factual, secular origin story.*
04:52 *🤖 Discusses the unexpected, rapid acceleration of AI advancements.*
06:12 *🗣️ Links the decline of democratic discourse to advanced information technologies.*
07:33 *🏛️ Large-scale democracies became possible with the advent of mass media.*
09:49 *📜 Points out that revolutions in information technology have led to societal upheavals, not just progress.*
26:22 *📚 Highlights how "The Hammer of the Witches" incited the European witch hunts.*
27:45 *😢 Shows how sensational content can overshadow substantive scientific works.*
28:55 *🚨 Illustrates the deadly consequences of misinformation and hysteria.*
30:16 *🌐 Discusses how modern conspiracy theories mirror historical irrational fears.*
32:15 *❌ Challenges the notion that more information automatically leads to enlightenment.*
33:09 *🤔 Argues that fiction often overshadows truth due to its simplicity and appeal.*
34:33 *🔬 Celebrates scientific institutions for their commitment to acknowledging ignorance.*
42:27 *📉 Discusses how digital platforms manipulate public discourse, necessitating regulation.*
47:08 *🕵️‍♂️ Warns of AI's potential to bolster totalitarian surveillance and control.*
51:20 *💔 Suggests that AI could foster "mass intimacy," manipulating public behavior at unprecedented scales.*
53:23 *🔄 Notes the risk of democratic leaders exploiting power to dismantle democratic systems.*
55:35 *🤖 Examines AI's potential to stabilize or destabilize societies during critical transitions.*
56:17 *🔒 Suggests that rapid technological changes can entrench societal values, affecting long-term structures.*
57:10 *🎥 Highlights how control over emerging technologies can consolidate political power.*
01:18:27 *🤖 Emphasizes that meaningful human relationships cannot be automated or managed solely by AI.*
01:20:17 *🧠 Discusses how intelligence is overrated and distinct from consciousness, which involves emotional capacities.*
01:22:49 *🌌 Presents a hypothetical future dominated by intelligent but non-conscious entities, creating a devoid universe.*
01:28:26 *🗣️ Argues for corporate accountability in digital communication, emphasizing the manipulative potential of algorithms.*

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[manipurihunabopa]

It seems like Yuval Noah Harari is the most articulate historian in the world! Every conversation he had, I listened and watched on YouTube, are easy to understand. Great disambiguator!

[ensilguz]

It's fascinating to know that there are people with the intelligence of Yuval Noah

[krillnukem]

Nexus is fascinating. Yuval has given us a timely gift - not giving power to a party who doesn’t intend to give it back is key to the 2024 US elections

[nancylaplaca]

Yuval Noah Harari is a hero for our time!

[zionen]

The idea that the world is moving away from democracy back to dictatorships may be more frightening than AI taking over. The masses are swayed by information not knowing what it’ll lead to. Simplicity should be key, if a person feels like she/he wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, don’t wish for much change in that place.

[shoyebakhter]

Democracy is a conversation; we discuss with each other in Democracy.

[DaiseySerrano-nf]

ebooksbyai AI fixes this (AI eBook Generator). Truth's power in AI age.

[-AkhilTej-]

💎🏆 Great insightful & fruitful video 🏆💎

लोकः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु
( May all beings lead prosperous life across Globe 🌍 )

[rasistaable]

Yuval conveys his knowledge in a coherent and easily understandable manner, even when the subject matter is quite profound. It is a pleasure listening him!

[sedadogan]

Why is the interviewer’s mic is self standing and Yuval has to hold his as he speaks. And yet he is very humble and polite.

What an amazing human being.

[AncaFit]

Harari is one of the smartest people of our times. I liked the very smooth remark that he said about Marvel or whatever superheroes movies today, that they are "easy" to make is stead of saying they are fast movies and don't even need actors for it, that's how stupid they are.

[neurojitsu]

Naivety is a great way to frame the ignorance towards information technology, this is such an important message. Where would progressive, liberal minded types be without this man's insight and brilliance... and this conversation was a delight to listen to, the interviewer did a fantastic job of exploring the ideas and asking great questions. I nearly didn't click on this video due to the cheesy channel name... Harari won my click, and this is one of the best interviews I've seen.

[artieash]

I would love hear Mr. Harari speak about the role and power of corporations and powerful groups (like Hamas, Isis) within countries and regions. History still seems to organize itself country by country, but many corporations feel like occupying enemy forces, with no concern for the citizens of the countries they invade and influence.

[TTATIDDY]

Order is created by maximising the focus on a particular idea. As technology changes the status quo method of doing this changes, but it only replaced by the next new thing. We didn’t sink because we held onto the wood, we then used the wood to build a boat, we then worked out that we could use the wind to have a say in the direction we headed, we then found out we could use an engines to negate nature and just power through in any direction we want. What’s faster than the speed of light, the thing directing the focus

[juanitoviejo]

Thanks for the timestamps, very professional.

[byronfriesen]

thank you I finally understand 'The Medium is the Message'

[SunFlower-]

The truth is called the I Am that I Am.

[MusicPlayingPeon]

I like him already based just on the title.

[pcopeland]

Moveable type spread in Europe in the late 15th century, The 30 years war occurred in the early 17th century. German witch trials occured in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. I would like to see Harari comment on the century to century and a half interludes to clarify his assertions that these later events grew out of the wider dissemination of information.

[skiphoffenflaven]

The America I grew up in, in the 80s and 90s, taught me about the world, other peoples, other cultures, other religions, and other ways of thinking. My students, today, tell me that they no longer receive that education. But then again, all these students do today is look at themselves, memes, and animations online, held in their palms, with very short attention spans, shorter than ours were in the 80s and 90s. And their parents are selfish and arrogant, either in their not-knowing, or in their knowing, otherwise.