Review of The Cybernetic Society

The Cybernetic Society presents a vision of a hyper-connected, AI-enhanced future. The author is a deeply knowledgeable technologist and CEO, and offers an articulate and confident examination of our accelerating convergence with machines. He emphasizes augmentation over consciousness—AI doesn’t become sentient; it enhances that which is already conscious - us.

The chapter on Noem, a hyper-connected smart city, exemplifies both the promise and peril of such futures. The chapter examines this real world project in great detail. While the author seems enthusiastic, readers may not share this feeling—a city like this, however well-engineered, would feel sterile and alien to most of us, disconnected from nature’s organic intelligence. I for one, wouldn't want to live there.

A student is described studying ecology online, and instead of traveling to the actual environments, she visits 'virtually'. Maybe efficient as an option for education, but hollow compared to real-world immersion. In fact, the absence of nature in AI discourse is glaring, and something that I'm always pointing out in my own tech writing. We are understandably focused on human society, and technology is much closer than nature for many of us. I read both technical and natural science books. I've been immersed in tech all my life, but I also work to learn all I can about nature's intelligence, complexity and endurance.

There may be no better real-world example of the melding of humans with machines than an Amazon warehouse. The chapter focusing on Amazon is maybe the best look at the pros and cons of the cybernetic society playing out the realm Jeff Bezos has created.

Technology is infinitely complex and not easily understood by most people. This can cause fear and apprehension in seeing the future only through that lens. The author is a successful tech CEO and a very intelligent one - but this colors his outlook. His fluency in the subject removes his fear—an advantage most readers won’t share. But to be fair, he's one of the best writers and guides on this subject that I've read. Understanding is the best weapon against fear. As he says - he seeks to understand technology and where it's going, so that he may 'own' it and not be controlled by it. He stresses that we should all do the same - digital literacy is crucial for understanding the modern world, especially the future that's coming quickly.

The book does offer hope. He explains how Edge AI—LLMs run locally on personal devices—can empower individuals and restore control and trust eroded by Big Tech’s centralized systems. Educate yourself and control your own data. One chapter highlights decentralized technologies like NYC Mesh and the author's platform, nvg8.io, uses a token-based system where users are compensated for contributing knowledge and content—an explicit contrast to how platforms like Google profit from our data through payment for providing search results - yet we are not paid for that content we've provided.

Ultimately, The Cybernetic Society is a sharp, thought-provoking look at a future that is probably inevitable - the melding of machines with humans that is now occurring and will only continue. The message is clear: understand the technology or be ruled by it. Whether one embraces that challenge or retreats from it is left to the reader. But if understanding our cybernetic society is your goal, as it is mine, there may be no better book than this one for that purpose.

The author takes you on a though proving journey through the human and machine relationship, showing how they’re merging in the future and, maybe, already happening to an extent today. Should we be excited or scared about this future? Husain leaves that up to us which I did appreciate. This book takes us on a true journey that’ left you with not just answers but also some serious questions about the world we are going to soon inhabit.
Well researched and written and far more accessible than many without presenting opinions as conclusions which I found most refreshing!

If this book doesn't make you think about what is happening in this world, you aren't paying attention. Well done.