Supporting Peacebuilding

In 2024, Itzik Yahav, Yuval Noah Harari, and Sapienship supported initiatives and organizations focused on rehumanizing the tragic Palestinian–Israeli conflict. This conflict has generated a discourse filled with hate, vilification, dehumanization, racism, and extreme one-sided views from all sides of the political landscape. We support local organizations that work to rehumanize the individuals involved in this conflict, that do not shy away from complexity, and that strive not for a one-sided ‘ultimate justice’ or ‘total victory’ in the distant future, but for practical coexistence that will safeguard the present and near-future of the people in the region. These individuals—Palestinians and Israeli Jews—who have the resilience to stay away from the divisive discourse surrounding them, deserve our admiration and support.

Animal Welfare

In 2024, we supported organizations dedicated to animal welfare. We share this planet with animals, our companions on this long and amazing evolutionary journey. Since animals can experience suffering, they deserve our care and compassion.

2% More for climate change

Sapienship’s research led us to call on politicians to invest an additional 2% of Global GDP in preventing catastrophic climate change.

• If humanity invests just an extra 2% of Global GDP in clean energy, that would be enough to prevent the worst climate change scenarios
• Shifting 2% of the budget from here to there is what politicians do all the time. So we should pressure them to just do their job
• It’s a clear and feasible target that leaves room for optimism – 2% more to save our future

Responsible Development of AI

The year 2023 saw unprecedented breakthroughs in AI (artificial intelligence), which exploded into the public’s consciousness with generative models like ChatGPT, Dalle-E and Midjourney. In response to these dramatic developments, Sapienship and its founders closely supported multiple initiatives to raise awareness of the risk posed by AI and the need to conduct its development and regulation responsibly. In a campaign fronted Sapienship’s co-founder Prof. Yuval Noah Harari, we partnered with leading AI scientists like Yoshua Bengio and Geoffrey Hinton, and organizations that include the Center for Humane Technology, Frontiers Forumthe UN, and Future of Life Institute – to facilitate public conversations, lectures, articles and position papers, highlighting the threat from advanced AI systems and proposing urgent priorities for AI R&D and governance.

United24

In late 2022, Sapienship and its founders donated to campaign to help protect Ukraine’s electricity grid – and its heating system – in the dead of winter. Unfortunately this infrastructure has been under Russian attack, as the appalling war continues in Eastern Europe. The fundraising campaign was initiated by Prof. Timothy Snyder, for United24.

To donate to this campaign, visit u24.gov.ua/shahedhunter.

UNICEF Ukraine

In 2022, Sapienship and its founders, Itzik Yahav and Yuval Noah Harari, donated $310,000 to UNICEF Ukraine – to support humanitarian relief during the sad and senseless war in the country.

We strongly believe in joining forces globally to support people and the environment, and we do not take for granted that international institutions like UNICEF exist. After all, these organizations came into being as a result of the lessons learned from previous devastating wars.

To donate to this cause, visit unicef.org/ukraineconflict.

Sustainable Investments

In 2021, Sapienship made financial investments related to tackling the biggest global challenges — with an emphasis on ecological collapse.

A third of the investment sum has been dedicated to innovations in animal-free food products, including cultured meat and lab-grown milk.

Sapienship Social Channels

Big, thought-provoking ideas made accessible

• Social media content and discussions for anyone who enjoys diving into big questions in an entertaining way — whether you’re 12 or 112
• Quizzes, podcasts, surprising stories, knowledge bites, quests into the future, and lots of food for thought
• From ancient history, nature and evolution, to technological disruption, shocking true facts, and mind-blowing personal questions
• Click the link to follow, comment and share on your preferred social media platforms, comment and share on your preferred social media platforms

Unstoppable Us

A book series for middle-grade readers, telling the epic true story of humankind

• A series of 4 big-history books for 21st century kids, written by Yuval Noah Harari – with illustrations by Ricard Zaplana Ruiz
• Each volume to explore a different stage in the story of humankind – from the cognitive revolution to the future scenario of hacking humans
• Books to be accompanied by a pack of learning materials for partner schools worldwide

Sapiens: A Graphic History

A radical adaptation of the bestselling book Sapiens into a graphic novel, in collaboration with the genre’s leading artists

• The story of humankind retold in a visual and humorous way, narrated by a fictional Yuval Noah Harari character
• A series of 5 books co-written by Yuval Noah Harari and David Vandermeulen, and illustrated by Daniel Casanave
• Volumes 1 and 2 of the series available now

Once Upon A.I.

A short film experiment that pairs artificial intelligence with macro-historical storytelling

• What does the mind-blowing story of humankind look like to a machine?
• A story written by humans is illustrated with over 260 images generated by 13 different A.I. algorithms
• Voiceover script written by Sapienship, inspired by the work of Yuval Noah Harari

‘Sapiens’ – The Animated Series

‍An animated comedy series for adults that explores the whole of human history through an epic detective story

• A hard-boiled detective and a scrambled historian team up to solve history’s greatest unsolved crimes
• A hilarious journey to explore deep truths about what makes us human – and no, it’s not our ability to binge on TV shows
• A multi-season animation project currently in development, inspired by the graphic novel series ‘Sapiens: A Graphic History’

‘Sapiens’ – Immersive Experience Exhibition

A mixed reality and live-action experience that will launch in a cultural capital

• An immersive show that sweeps through the whole story of humankind in one hour – connecting the past to the present, and inviting visitors to re-write the future
• A touring experience developed in collaboration with the industry’s leading storytellers and designers, that will enable audiences worldwide to access big ideas in an immediate and visceral way
• Unlike traditional exhibitions, the show will use tools like an augmented reality app to extend the visitors’ experience beyond the physical exhibit.

Sapienship Lab: Teach the Near Future

‍A one stop shop for 21st century educators

• A website offering FREE bite-sized content for teachers, educators, parents and lifelong learners – focused on the big challenges of the 21st century
• Library of fun, thought-provoking, science-driven ‘conversation starters’
• Podcasts, videos, quizzes and lexicon definitions – each accompanied by a group activity
• Topics ranging from technology, climate, history and evolution, to personal agency and the future of human relationships
• Click the link to dive in!

Unstoppable Us: The Classroom Challenge

Solving the mysteries of the human species through an interactive digital workshop

• A classroom activity based on Yuval Noah Harari’s book Unstoppable Us
• Students discover the connection between humans and other animals, gradually figuring out what makes our species unique and how we took over planet Earth.
• This group challenge introduces scientific thinking and evolutionary theory in a gamified, edutaining way — casting participants in the role of detectives.