Book review – NEXUS: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah Harari

I have enjoyed all of Harari’s books that I’ve read. So, when news of his next big work arrived, I was excited and eager to dive into it. That’s why this review (and probably all the reviews I’ll ever write) is entirely subjective. I’m not trying to say whether the book is objectively good or bad—only whether I liked it or not.

In Nexus, the author explores how information networks have evolved throughout human history and warns that modern algorithms, integrating into our current information network as new nodes, could pose a serious threat—even to the survival of our species.

As is typical for his books, there are plenty of historical examples supporting his arguments, and the writing style is excellent. If you enjoyed his previous books as much as I did, you will undoubtedly like this one too.

My only concern is that Nexus becomes a bit too esoteric about the AI threat without providing many concrete, contemporary examples. Of course, some of these examples have only recently emerged—such as the Romanian elections, where a nearly random candidate almost won with the support of hundreds of sleeper-agent TikTok accounts manipulating the algorithm. Or the thousands upon thousands of pro-Russian bots on Twitter and Facebook that, for now, can still be tricked with a simple prompt. Given how relevant these cases are to the book’s central theme, their absence feels like a significant oversight.

So, to me, stating that AI could become dangerous in the wrong hands—when it already is in the wrong hands and already is dangerous—feels a little too late. Additionally, the book lacks concrete suggestions on what we should do now.

Overall, Nexus is definitely worth reading for anyone who uses the internet and/or social media daily. Whether you believe AI is a blessing or a curse for humanity, this book will undoubtedly give you something to think about.