'We are cows of future': Harsh Goenka on AI

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Industrialist Harsh Goenka has shared a chilling thought about the future of artificial intelligence (AI), drawing attention to a warning by author Yuval Noah Harari. His message carries an unsettling question: what happens when machines become so intelligent that humans can no longer understand the systems running their lives? Harari, best known for his book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, has compared the possible future relationship between humans and AI to that between humans and cows. “We are the cows of the future,” he warned, describing a scenario in which artificial intelligence could develop financial and legal systems so complex that people might struggle to understand or control them. Goenka shared the video, highlighting the disturbing possibility that humanity could eventually find itself at the mercy of technology it created.

Why Harari says humans could become 'cows of the future'

Harari's comparison rests on a simple but powerful observation, Cows live in a world shaped by human decisions, but they have no understanding of money, stock markets or the financial systems that influence how humans manage their lives. For instance, a cow can't understand how a change in interest rates or a movement in the bond market could affect the price of food or the decisions made by a farmer. Yet, these systems can indirectly shape its life.

Harari believes humans could face a similar situation as AI becomes more capable. People may continue to live their daily lives while increasingly sophisticated AI systems make decisions about money, business, administration and law. The concern is that these systems could become so complicated that even humans struggle to understand how they work.

In an interview with Czech Television, Harari questioned how people would respond when the technology governing their lives became difficult to comprehend. His warning was not about humans literally turning into animals, but about losing their ability to understand and influence the forces that shape their future.

AI may take over financial systems and bureaucracy

Harari believes AI's growing role in finance and administration deserves particular attention. Artificial intelligence can process enormous volumes of information and identify patterns across transactions far faster than an individual can. This capability could make it increasingly attractive for banks, businesses and government institutions to rely on AI for complex decisions.

Harari pointed out that no human banker can remember every transaction handled by a bank, whereas an AI system can process and analyse vast amounts of financial data. The bigger concern, he argued, is what happens when AI begins creating increasingly sophisticated financial and legal systems that humans can't fully understand.

Harari said, explaining that the threat could emerge through the gradual takeover of financial systems and bureaucracies rather than through dramatic scenes of robots attacking people. That distinction is important. The future he describes is not necessarily one of machines using physical force against humanity. Instead, it is a world in which people may become dependent on automated systems without being able to question their decisions effectively.

What Yuval Noah Harari warning means for humans

AI is already being used in banking, customer service, recruitment, data analysis and other areas that influence everyday decisions. As these applications become more capable, questions about accountability and human oversight are becoming increasingly important. An AI system may approve or reject a transaction, flag a financial activity or help an institution make a decision. But if the process becomes too complex to explain, it may be difficult for an ordinary person to challenge an outcome or identify an error.

Harari's concern is that this problem could grow as AI systems become more advanced and interconnected. Over time, people could find themselves relying on systems whose inner workings they can't meaningfully follow. He has warned that, within the next 10 to 20 years, AI-driven financial systems could become so sophisticated that humans struggle to understand the mechanisms controlling their economic lives.

This remains a prediction, not an established outcome. The extent to which such a future materialises will depend on how AI develops and how governments, businesses and society choose to regulate and use it.

The comparison raises a larger question about human control in an increasingly automated world. Technological progress is often measured by speed, efficiency and the ability to solve complex problems. But these advantages may come with risks if people surrender too much decision-making power to systems they can't scrutinise.

The challenge is not simply to build more powerful AI. It is also to ensure that people can understand important decisions, hold institutions accountable and retain meaningful control over the technology shaping their lives.

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