A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI
16.2 x 4.3 x 24.1 cm, 528 pages
English language
Published Jan. 1, 2024 by Fern Press.
The story of how information networks have made, and unmade, our world from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Sapiens
Stories brought us together.
Books spread our ideas – and our mythologies.
The internet promised infinite knowledge.
The algorithm learned our secrets – and then turned us against each other.
What will AI do?
NEXUS is the thrilling account of how we arrived at this moment, and the urgent choices we must now make to survive – and to thrive.
Can't say I enjoyed reading this book although the content is important. The book gives a very depressing view of humanity and our future. Something to read if you have the energy to deal with the mood the book creates.
Can't say I enjoyed reading this book although the content is important. The book gives a very depressing view of humanity and our future. Something to read if you have the energy to deal with the mood the book creates.
Harari offers refreshing clarity and insights in all his books, but in this one he really commits to some foundational ideas and arguments in a way he hasn't in previous works. The nature of information and truth are at the heart of the culture tech wars we are embroiled in, and this is the only analysis I've encountered that really grapples with that. I suspect the resulting insights are on the right track, and the lack of easy answers is a recognition of the volatility and complexity of our times.
Harari offers refreshing clarity and insights in all his books, but in this one he really commits to some foundational ideas and arguments in a way he hasn't in previous works. The nature of information and truth are at the heart of the culture tech wars we are embroiled in, and this is the only analysis I've encountered that really grapples with that. I suspect the resulting insights are on the right track, and the lack of easy answers is a recognition of the volatility and complexity of our times.
Excellent example of weaving multiple characters into a climax
This was way more comprehensive and interesting than I expected.
Regardless of how AI actually goes, it's clear that it is going to have an immense impact on our civilisation.
I guess I'd never deeply thought into the implications for us when information is more important than currency, and that your store of information impacts your power (either on the world stage or in business) differently than classical economical power.
I liked the example of how a local restaurant can compete with McDonalds by cooking quality food or providing a good service. A local/small company cannot ever compete with the likes of Google because of the proportion of the world's information that goes through them.
I enjoyed the broad historical approach of this book and its discussion of mythology and bureaucracy. Definitely left me with a bit of a feeling of AI being a bit of …
This was way more comprehensive and interesting than I expected.
Regardless of how AI actually goes, it's clear that it is going to have an immense impact on our civilisation.
I guess I'd never deeply thought into the implications for us when information is more important than currency, and that your store of information impacts your power (either on the world stage or in business) differently than classical economical power.
I liked the example of how a local restaurant can compete with McDonalds by cooking quality food or providing a good service. A local/small company cannot ever compete with the likes of Google because of the proportion of the world's information that goes through them.
I enjoyed the broad historical approach of this book and its discussion of mythology and bureaucracy. Definitely left me with a bit of a feeling of AI being a bit of a pandora's box - once true AI is out there interacting with other AIs, I'm not sure we'll have much to say on anything...
Good insights into information networks from a historical perspective and how they might evolve in the future. I was missing a bit the role and impact open source AI might have. Otherwise, great read!
Good insights into information networks from a historical perspective and how they might evolve in the future. I was missing a bit the role and impact open source AI might have. Otherwise, great read!
