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Yuval Noah Harari

Yuval Noah Harari

philosophyhistorianauthorexistential-risk

About Yuval Noah Harari

Yuval Noah Harari is an Israeli historian and philosopher, best known for his international bestsellers Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. His books have sold over 50 million copies worldwide in 65 languages.

Career Highlights

  • Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2005-present): Department of History
  • Cambridge University: Distinguished Research Fellow, Centre for the Study of Existential Risk
  • Sapienship: Co-founder of social impact company
  • Sapiens (2011): International bestseller on human history
  • Homo Deus (2015): Exploration of humanity's future

Key Themes

AI and Human Identity

Harari argues that AI poses an unprecedented threat to human identity because it challenges our defining characteristic - the ability to think. Unlike previous technologies that exceeded human physical abilities, AI threatens our cognitive supremacy.

The Power of Stories

Central to Harari's work is the idea that humans conquered the world through shared fictions - religions, nations, corporations. These stories enabled cooperation at massive scale. AI's mastery of language threatens this uniquely human capability.

At Davos 2026, Harari posed the question: should AI be recognized as legal persons? He noted that corporations, rivers, and gods already have legal personhood, but AI can actually function as a person - making decisions, filing lawsuits, running organizations.

Notable Positions

On AI Agency

"AI is a knife that can decide by itself whether to cut salad or to commit murder."

On Human Superpower

"Humans took over the world because we discovered how to use words to get billions of strangers to cooperate. This was our superpower. And now something has emerged that is going to take our superpower from us."

On the Urgency

"10 years from now, it will be too late for you to decide whether AIs should function as persons in the financial markets, in the courts, in the churches. Somebody else will already have decided it for you."

Key Quotes

  • "If thinking means putting words in order, AI already thinks better than many humans."
  • "The AI immigrants will travel at the speed of light without any need of visas."
  • "We understand this with human mercenaries. We don't get it with AIs."