Writers, artists and broadcasters

Yuval Noah Harari

historian, philosopher, and author

4 records

Portrait source: Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 4.0

Records

Superintelligence would likely break the very operating system of human civilization – and is completely unnecessary. If we instead focus on building controllable AI tools to help real people today, we can far more reliably and safely realize AI’s incredible benefits.

Yuval Noah Harari

historian, philosopher, and author

In a 2026 Future of Life Institute press release, Yuval Noah Harari was quoted as saying superintelligence would likely disrupt human civilization and was unnecessary, while controllable AI tools could deliver AI's benefits more safely.

Historian, philosopher, and authorPublished March 27, 2026 · date of remarks not establishedPress release accompanying the Statement on Superintelligence

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Surrounding words

We should intentionally harness this amazing technology to help people, not rush to build machines and mechanisms we cannot control.” Yuval Noah Harari: “Superintelligence would likely break the very operating system of human civilization – and is completely unnecessary. If we instead focus on building controllable AI tools to help real people today, we can far more reliably and safely realize AI’s incredible benefits.” Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex: “The future of AI should serve humanity, not replace it. I believe the true test of progress will be not how fast we move, but how wisely we steer. There is no second chance.”

What this quote does not say

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No separate utterance or delivery date is available.

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I’m not saying they shouldn’t have a voice, they shouldn’t talk with us. I’m just saying, when they talk with us, it should be clear that they are AI. That’s it. You can have your voice as an AI. Again, I have some medical problem. I want to get advice from an AI doctor. That’s fine as long as I know that I’m talking with an AI. What should be banned is AI pretending to be a human being.

Yuval Noah Harari

historian, philosopher, and author

On the Lex Fridman Podcast, Yuval Noah Harari said AI should be clearly identified as AI and that AI pretending to be human should be banned.

Historian, philosopher, and authorPublished July 17, 2023 · date of remarks not establishedLex Fridman Podcast #390

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Are we allowed to really censor them, remove them, remove their voice from social media? Yuval Noah Harari I’m not saying they shouldn’t have a voice, they shouldn’t talk with us. I’m just saying, when they talk with us, it should be clear that they are AI. That’s it. You can have your voice as an AI. Again, I have some medical problem. I want to get advice from an AI doctor. That’s fine as long as I know that I’m talking with an AI. What should be banned is AI pretending to be a human being. This is something that will erode trust and, without trust, society collapses. This is something that especially will endanger democracies because democracy is a conversation basically and it’s a conversation between people.

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Statements they signed

FROM THE SIGNED STATEMENT

AI systems must never be allowed to make life or death decisions, especially in military applications during armed conflict or peacetime, law enforcement, border control, healthcare or judicial decisions.

Signed statement: “Global Appeal for Peaceful Human Coexistence” (Rome working group)

Yuval Noah Harari

historian, philosopher, and author

Signed as part of a group statement. Not spoken.

Yuval Noah Harari signed the Global Appeal for Peaceful Human Coexistence, which calls for AI to remain under human control and for binding international limits enforced by an independent oversight institution.

Date not establishedGlobal Appeal for Peaceful Human Coexistence

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Members of the working group that drafted the Global Appeal 1. Paolo Benanti (Scientific Coordinator) 2. Yoshua Bengio 3. Ernesto Belisario 4. Abeba Birhane 5. Cornelius Boersch 6. Yuval Noah Harari 7. Geoffrey Hinton 8. Lorena Jaume-Palasí 9. Antal Kuthy 10. Riccardo Luna (Coordinator) 11. Nnenna Nwakanma 12. Valerie Pisano 13. Stuart Russell 14. Max Tegmark 15. Marco Trombetti 16. Jimena Sofía Viveros Álvarez 17.

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The organiser's own roster lists this person as a signer.

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Was listed as a signer of “Global Call for AI Red Lines” (CeSIA, The Future Society, Berkeley CHAI)

Yuval Noah Harari

historian, philosopher, and author

Signed as part of a group statement. Not spoken.

Yuval Noah Harari was listed as a signer of the Global Call for AI Red Lines, which asks governments to agree by the end of 2026 on enforceable limits to prevent unacceptable AI risks.

Author of 'Sapiens'Date not establishedGlobal Call for AI Red Lines

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Surrounding words

Humans must agree on clear red lines for AI before the technology reshapes society beyond our understanding and destroys the foundations of our humanity. Yuval Noah Harari Author of "Sapiens" Humanity in its long history has never met intelligence higher than ours. Within a few years, we will.

How this was checked

The organiser's own roster lists this person as a signer.

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an AI reviewer that read the whole source