Davos, Feb 12: Against a backdrop of geopolitical strain, rising polarization, and growing skepticism toward institutions, entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath engaged in a wide-ranging conversation with historian and bestselling author Yuval Noah Harari on one of the defining questions of our time: what sustains global cooperation when trust begins to erode, and how can societies remain human in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence?
Recorded on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the discussion moved beyond immediate political developments to examine the structural challenges confronting modern civilization. As alliances shift and democratic systems face internal pressures, the durability of institutions that underpin global order is facing renewed scrutiny.
Harari emphasized that large-scale human cooperation has historically depended on shared belief in institutional frameworks rather than force alone. Financial systems, nation-states, international agreements, and legal structures function because societies collectively trust narratives that extend beyond individual leaders. When that shared trust weakens, predictability declines and stability becomes fragile.
“Humans control the world not because we are stronger than other animals, but because we cooperate better. And cooperation depends on storytelling,” Harari said.
A central theme of the dialogue was the growing shift from institutional loyalty to personality-driven politics. When political commitments become personal rather than structural, long-term agreements lose resilience. Harari cautioned that democracy depends not only on elections, but also on confidence in processes, shared facts, and institutional continuity.
The conversation also explored the implications of emerging artificial intelligence systems on governance, authority, and the production of meaning. Beyond economic disruption, the discussion raised a deeper question: as machines increasingly generate information and narratives, how can societies safeguard human agency and preserve a shared sense of truth?
Reflecting on the exchange, Kamath drew parallels between financial markets and geopolitics, underscoring the centrality of confidence in both systems.
“If trust is the foundation of finance, it is also the foundation of geopolitics,” Kamath said.
Set against the global convening at Davos—where leaders gather annually to debate growth, conflict, and cooperation—the episode situates People by WTF within broader conversations on institutional resilience, democratic durability, technological transformation, and the evolving architecture of global order.
