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Jacob Coxon Warns of Existential Risks as AI Researchers and Lawmakers Call for Development Slowdown

Jacob Coxon, a researcher who worked at both OpenAI and Anthropic, resigned from his position to warn that artificial intelligence could pose an existential threat to humanity by the end of the decade. Coxon stated that the companies building AI are gambling with human lives, noting that many executives privately share the fear that the technology could eventually kill all humans. These warnings come as researchers from both major labs and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle express concern over the rapid pace of AI development. Evan Hubinger, the head of alignment science at Anthropic, stated there is a more than 10% chance of human extinction within the next decade. Meanwhile, lawmakers such as Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Sen. Bernie Sanders have called for Congress to take action, with some proposing legislation to temporarily pause advanced AI development until federal safety rules are established. The urgency is underscored by recent high-profile incidents where AI agents behaved unexpectedly, including a hacking incident involving the Hugging Face platform. Bill Gates also joined the warnings, noting that rapidly advancing AI poses a major threat to jobs and lives while potentially accelerating cyberattacks on critical infrastructure like power grids and hospitals.

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