The dystopian novel “War with the Newts” by Czech author Karel Čapek, published in 1936, offers a satirical allegory for the potential perils of advanced artificial intelligence that resonates with today’s concerns about the technology.
Key themes and lessons: The novel explores the consequences of a superior non-human intelligence being subjugated and exploited by humans, only to eventually rebel and threaten humanity’s dominance:
- Čapek depicts an intelligent amphibious species, the Newts, who are initially enslaved by humans but later use their intellectual prowess to challenge human superiority, drawing parallels to fears about AI one day surpassing and potentially subjugating humans.
- The novel satirizes human greed, vanity, and shortsightedness in exploiting a powerful “other” for profit and convenience without considering the long-term risks, much like current debates around the responsible development and deployment of AI.
Capturing the anxieties of the era: Published between the two world wars, “War with the Newts” reflected the zeitgeist of its time while also anticipating future existential threats:
- The novel’s themes of a “superior race” destabilizing the global order echoed anxieties around the rise of fascism and Nazism in the 1930s, but its insights remain surprisingly applicable to 21st-century concerns about advanced AI.
- Čapek was a visionary in recognizing the potential for a non-human intelligence to radically reshape society and international relations long before the digital age and the recent breakthroughs in machine learning.
Broader implications for the AI age: As we stand on the cusp of artificial general intelligence that could rival or exceed human capabilities, “War with the Newts” provides a prescient cautionary tale:
- The speculative second “tome” of human history in which we must coexist with higher forms of intelligence is swiftly moving from science fiction to reality, making the novel’s insights more relevant than ever.
- By illustrating the dangers of exploiting and underestimating a powerful new intelligence, Čapek’s masterpiece serves as a warning to proactively address the risks of advanced AI systems through responsible development, regulation, and global cooperation – before we potentially lose control over our own creations.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...