AI firms move closer to autonomous self-improving models amid safety concerns
Fortune reported on 19 September that Anthropic, OpenAI and xAI said they were making progress toward autonomous recursive self-improving AI models, intensifying industry debate over existential risks and prompting renewed calls for a slowdown in development. Earlier, CNBC noted that Anthropic safety researcher Jacob Coxon resigned on 8 September, warning that the probability of AI causing human extinction exceeded 10 percent. CNN later said Anthropic blocked several user accounts that attempted to use its Claude models for biological-weapon research, and The Guardian reported that the company issued a 154-page threat-intelligence report detailing misuse by criminals and state actors.
Newser described bipartisan congressional reactions calling for stricter safety legislation. Fortune also covered OpenAI’s decision to postpone its 2026 IPO to focus on alignment and safety, while CBS quoted Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urging slower development and greater oversight.