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Current Affairs ( 5 Apr 2025, NewAgeIslam.Com)

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“AI Can Detonate Itself': Yuval Noah Harari Issues a Stark Warning About AI's Growing Autonomy

 

By Girish Shukla

March 25, 2025

Yuval Noah Harari issues a stark warning about AI's growing autonomy, emphasizing it is no longer just a tool but an independent agent capable of making world-altering decisions—raising serious ethical and existential questions for humanity’s future.

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Yuval Noah Harari

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Israeli historian and acclaimed author Yuval Noah Harari, widely known for 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind', has shared a grave caution regarding artificial intelligence (AI). In a recent video posted by Instagram page @artificialintelligencenews.in, Harariargued that AI is evolving beyond being just a human-operated tool. Instead, he described it as an autonomous force with the power to make independent decisions—some of which could significantly impact humanity’s future trajectory.

A professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Harari has long been celebrated for his insightful analyses of human history, technological progress, and societal transformation. His latest remarks connect the dots between past revolutions and the emerging risks posed by increasingly intelligent machines.

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AI Is No Longer Just a Tool — Harari Warns of Its Power to Make Independent Decisions

In the video, Harari highlights the critical difference between conventional tools and artificial intelligence. He uses examples like hammers and nuclear bombs to underscore his point: "A tool is something in your hands," he says. "A hammer is a tool. An atom bomb is a tool. You decide to start a war and who to bomb. It doesn’t walk over there and decide to detonate itself. AI can do that." His statement emphasizes the alarming shift of AI from being a controllable instrument to a potentially autonomous force.

Are We Heading Toward a Future Without Human Control?

Harari’s warnings go beyond speculation. Autonomous systems powered by AI are already being used in defence and security, bringing with them serious ethical and existential questions. As AI development accelerates without sufficient oversight, the idea of machines determining the destiny of entire nations shifts from being "a science fiction trope" to "a looming reality."

Harari’s warnings echo ideas he has discussed in his previous works. In 'Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow', he delves into the possibility of AI surpassing human intelligence. In 'Sapiens', he examined how Homo sapiens rose to dominance through storytelling, collaboration, and technological progress. Today, he cautions that we may be close to creating an intelligence that could exceed our own and reshape our future in unpredictable ways.

What Lies Ahead? Harari Sounds the Alarm on Autonomous AI

Harari’s message is a powerful prompt for global reflection. If AI is "not just a tool" but "an agent," then it is up to us to manage and guide its evolution responsibly. This raises pressing concerns: "How do we ensure AI remains aligned with human values?" "Can we prevent AI from surpassing our control?" And perhaps the most critical of all—"Have we already crossed the point of no return?"

With AI progressing faster than ever, Harari’s warning feels more urgent than speculative. The control over intelligence may be slipping from human hands, and what unfolds next—remarkable progress or dangerous consequences—is still uncertain.

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Girish Shukla is a dedicated bibliophile with a love for psychology and mythology

 

URL:   https://www.newageislam.com/current-affairs/ai-detonate-yuval-noah-harari/d/135064 

 

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