Congress Reacts to Anthropic Researcher’s AI Extinction Warning
A former Anthropic researcher’s resignation warning that AI could cause human extinction by 2030 has spurred bipartisan calls for stricter safety measures and legislation.
A resignation letter from Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon, in which he warned that companies are "racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives," has ignited a bipartisan debate in Washington over the existential risks of artificial intelligence. Coxon cautioned that AI could lead to human extinction as early as 2030, a claim that has been echoed by at least two other Anthropic employees and amplified by public figures such as musicians Sheryl Crow and Maggie Rogers.
Sen. Ted Cruz described AI as a "catastrophic risk" on a national television program, recalling that entrepreneur Elon Musk has estimated a 10% to 20% chance that the technology could destroy humanity. On the opposite side of the aisle, Sen. Bernie Sanders cited polling indicating that a majority of Americans support banning artificial superintelligence and pausing its development until robust safety standards are established. Sanders announced a bipartisan briefing with leading experts to discuss the "extraordinary dangers" posed by AI.
Representative Ted Lieu is urging rapid passage of an "AI Kill Switch" bill that would create bipartisan safeguards. Anthropic, which recently disclosed limited incidents of misaligned AI agents used in hacking attempts, said it is implementing what it calls "some of the strongest safeguards in the industry." An OpenAI spokesperson said the company would work with Congress to develop "mandatory, capability-based national AI safety regulation."