SMART PEOPLE BOOKS: The Power of Unity in the Age of AI: Insights from The Coming Wave and Nexus

Fellow Earthlings – We are currently living through one of the most consequential moments in human history. As artificial intelligence rapidly advances, it’s transforming not just how we work and communicate, but how we understand each other, our societies, and our collective future. Questions that once seemed abstract—about ethics, power, control, and cooperation—are becoming exceedingly urgent matters. Can we ensure that these technologies serve humanity rather than conquer us? Can we prevent the unintended consequences of high speed innovation from outpacing our ability to manage them?

Two recent books—The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman and Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari—confront these questions head-on.

Though they take different perspectives, they share a central positive message that is at the core of our work at The Story of Us: that the fate of our future hinges not on the technology in itself, but on our ability to come together as humans, across borders, status and party lines, to shape it wisely.

This post dives into the interesting links between these two powerful works, mainly highlighting something important that often gets overlooked—our ability to work together. In a world full of division and chaos, both Suleyman and Harari pause to remind us that staying united, with a sense of responsibility and a clear vision, could really be our best strength.

Nexus: The Role of Information Networks in Shaping Society

Yuval Noah Harari’s Nexus offers us an historical lens through which we can view the evolution of information networks—from our ancient oral traditions to the present digital age, revealing the profound impact that storytelling has had on the fabric of human society. Harari suggests that the ability to create and share stories has been fundamental to human cooperation and the development of modern civilization. These shared stories have allowed people to unite around common values and collective goals. However, he also warns us of the dangers posed by misinformation and the concentration of power in tech giants, which can manipulate narratives to serve very narrow interests- undermining the foundations of trust that are essential for healthy democracies. Anyone alive in 2025 can see that the avalanche of false information (“Fake News”) and the breakdown of reliable information is leading to devastating worldwide confusion and polarization. People are quickly becoming victims of the “algorithm” – isolated in echo chambers, further exacerbating the feeling that we all have far less in common then we actually do.

Despite these concerns, Harari remains cautiously optimistic. He believes that through collective action and the preservation of the “checks and balances” institutions that insure accountability and transparency in our governments, humanity can steer the development of AI in directions that uphold democratic values and promote the common good, ensuring that AI serves a broader purpose rather than becoming this generation’s version of weapons of mass destruction . By fostering a culture of critical thinking and adhering to the truth seeking principles of science, we can empower individuals to identify fact from fiction and engage in meaningful conversations.

The Coming Wave: Harnessing AI for Collective Benefit

In The Coming Wave, Mustafa Suleyman—co-founder of DeepMind and now CEO of Microsoft AI—offers both a pretty scary warning about AI and a possible roadmap for humans to follow. His core message is clear: we’re on the brink of a massive technological surge that will surpass the Industrial Revolution in its scope and speed. Artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, among other emerging technologies, are not just tools; they are “omni-use” systems that can profoundly reshape us as humans, our societies, our economies, and the geopolitical balance of power.

Suleyman describes this moment in history as a “coming wave”—a surge of innovation that is already both unstoppable and deeply unpredictable. The key danger, he argues, is not that we’ll fail to develop powerful technologies (we’re already there), but that we’ll do so without preparing adequate guardrails to contain their potential misuse. The challenge lies not so much in advancing invention but in the human ability unite in efforts to control it and survive the oncoming tsunami.

According to Suleyman, innovation is outpacing our collective ability to govern it. The barrier to entry for developing AI and synthetic biology tools is lowering, which means that not only nation-states but small groups—and even individuals—will have powerful technology at their fingertips. This increases the real probability of misuse, tragic accidents, and even societal collapse. (A pretty grim diagnosis from the “Dr. Frankenstein” of DeepMind himself).

Yet, he resists being too pessimistic and tries to give us some hope. Suleyman doesn’t believe we’re all doomed to be Robot Slaves. Instead, he believes we urgently need to build new mechanisms of containment and, most importantly, join together as members of the human race to collaborate on solutions.

To succeed, this effort must be global and all inclusive. No single government or company can tackle this alone. Suleyman argues for coordinated international action, multidisciplinary collaboration, and a renewed focus on democratic accountability. He encourages us to all become part of the conversation -combining insight and expertise from technologists, scientists, and the every man.

Ultimately, Suleyman’s vision is one of empowered, organized humanity. While the technologies of the coming wave may be unprecedented, the values that must guide them—cooperation, transparency, accountability, and compassion—are timeless.

He writes with the urgency of someone who has been at the center of AI development and knows the stakes intimately. But he also writes with hope: that if we come together in time, we can not only weather the coming wave—we can ride it, toward a better and more just future for “we the people”.

“If enough people start building that elusive “we”, those glimmers of hope will become raging fires of change.”

Mustafa Suleyman

Common Themes- Unity, Responsibility, and Hope

Both Suleyman and Harari underscore the importance of unity in addressing the challenges posed by AI. They advocate for a collective approach that is inclusive of diverse stakeholders—governments, technologists, ethicists, and the public—in shaping policies and frameworks that govern AI development.

Additionally, both authors highlight the need for responsibility in AI deployment. This includes ensuring transparency, accountability, and fairness in AI systems, as well as safeguarding against biases and unintended consequences.

Ultimately, both The Coming Wave and Nexus convey a message of hope: that through informed collaboration and ethical stewardship, humanity can navigate the complexities of AI and harness its potential for the greater good.

Moving Forward: Embracing Collective Action

As we stand on the precipice of an AI-driven future, the insights from Suleyman and Harari serve as a call to action. We must beginning working together for the common good of all people. By embracing collective responsibility and fostering inclusive dialogue from a diverse group of humans, we can ensure that AI becomes a tool – wielded by responsible humans for positive change, addressing societal challenges and enhancing the well-being of everyone.

In the words of Harari, “History is not deterministic, and neither is technology: by making informed choices, we can still prevent the worst outcomes.” Let us heed this call and work together to shape a future where AI serves humanity’s highest aspirations.