Yuval Noah Harari Explores If AI Can Be Intelligent Without Feelings

Yuval Noah Harari explains that while AI can drive cars, beat us at chess, and even invent medicines, that doesn’t mean it feels anything. AI may be smart, but it’s not sentient. Intelligence is about solving problems; consciousness is about experiencing emotions like pain, joy, or love. Humans combine both—AI doesn’t. Just like airplanes fly better than birds without feathers, AI might outthink us without ever becoming conscious. That’s why we must program ethics into machines—but never confuse smart code with a soul.

and that’s coming from someone who’s a regular at the World Economic Forum—a frequent speaker and a prominent figure there.