Harari Claims Algorithms are Observing us Everywhere from Living Rooms to Borders

In his most recent book, Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, renowned historian and author Yuval Noah Harari makes a frightening prediction: the abolition of privacy in its current form. Harari's study follows the growth of surveillance, claiming that we are nearing a post-privacy period in which artificial intelligence (AI) watches human behavior on a massive scale.

One of the book's most memorable phrases captures the shift: "In a world where humans monitored humans, privacy was the default. However, in a future where computers monitor humans, it may be conceivable for the first time in history to entirely eliminate privacy."Harari discusses how monitoring, which was once limited to emergencies or unusual geopolitical settings, has now pervaded everyday life.

Harari cites extreme cases of governmental surveillance—such as during the COVID-19 pandemic or in politically sensitive locations like Xinjiang, Kashmir, or the US-Mexico border—as forerunners to what is now considered routine practice globally. AI-powered systems, complete with technologies like facial and voice recognition, spyware, and massive databases, are becoming increasingly common. These systems are used in both democratic cities like London and New York, as well as authoritarian governments like Belarus and Zimbabwe.

Harari contends that the scope of this new generation of surveillance distinguishes it from previous waves. "Algorithms regularly watch us even in our living rooms, bedrooms, and bathrooms via our own computers and smartphones," he claims. This transformation has altered what governments and corporations may watch, not only in public locations but also in the private realms of homes, schools, and places of worship.

Harari's study raises serious concerns regarding the balance of security and personal freedom. While governments frequently rationalize these tactics in the name of combating crime or preventing dissent, the historian cautions against the perils of unregulated monitoring networks. He warns that democracies are vulnerable to these events.

Harari's work forces readers to confront a fundamental question: as technology progresses, how much privacy are we ready to give up? His book encourages governments and citizens to assess whether the loss of privacy is a reasonable trade-off for enhanced security, or if it is a slippery slope toward dictatorship.