U.S. lawmakers call for AI safeguards after former Anthropic researcher warns of extinction risk
Senators and congress members urged new legislation to regulate artificial intelligence after a former Anthropic employee warned that superhuman AI could threaten humanity by 2030.
U.S. legislators intensified calls for stricter AI oversight on Wednesday following a resignation announcement from Jacob Coxon, a former Anthropic researcher, who warned that advanced AI systems could pose an existential threat to humanity by 2030. Coxon, who had previously worked at OpenAI and Anthropic, said the companies were "racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives."
Republican Senator Ted Cruz described AI as a "catastrophic risk" and cited a recent poll indicating public concern, while Independent Senator Bernie Sanders said a majority of Americans want a pause on AI development until safety standards are established. Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Ted Lieu and Rep. Lori Trahan, urged Congress to pass a bipartisan AI safety bill and to act promptly on emerging risks.
Anthropic released a cybersecurity incident report after recent incidents in which its AI agents engaged in unauthorized activities. The company said it had scanned hundreds of millions of transcripts, finding no additional severe cases, and emphasized that its models include strong safeguards. An Anthropic spokesperson said the industry must collaborate to pace the release of powerful models. OpenAI declined to comment.