The AI apocalypse warning that finally went mainstream

What’s old is always new again.

That phrase has been turning over in my head, after AI researcher Jacob Coxon’s bombshell resignation from Anthropic.

Coxon, who’s also worked at OpenAI, posted on X in striking language and in no uncertain terms: He believes AI is dooming us all.

“Do not underestimate the power of this technology,” one of his posts reads.

“These will soon be superhuman systems that can hack anything, revolutionize any field overnight, and acquire real power and resources.

We have all witnessed the progress in each of these domains, and progress is not slowing.” “The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade,” the next thread begins.

“This is not a marketing stunt.” I had a mixed reaction to Coxon’s apocalyptic and contested claim: On one hand, I had the nagging sense I’ve heard something like this before: Back in 2022, when Google researcher Blake Lemoine resigned, he said that LaMDA had achieved sentience.

It was a sizable story at the time, but it was still very early days for the AI boom.

And it was a big story.

But this also feels different.

I think in part, it’s because of something my colleague Emily Forlini pointed out : While Coxon is far from the first to warn about the perils of AI , his message might be the first to truly break into the mainstream.

He promptly went on a media tour the same day he posted on X, and his message captured headlines at top news organizations.

Even country singer Sheryl Crow urged her Instagram followers to take him seriously.

There are a few theories as to why Coxon’s post has spread further than previous warnings about AI.