Some of the world’s leading artificial intelligence researchers are so worried about the future that they’ve stopped saving for retirement. Believing the world may not last long enough to need those savings, they are sounding increasingly urgent warnings about AI’s risks.
Nate Soares, president of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, told The Atlantic he no longer contributes to his 401k because he doesn’t expect the world to be around. Dan Hendrycks, director of the Center for AI Safety, expressed a similar outlook, saying by the time he reaches retirement age, “everything is fully automated—that is, if we are still around.”
Extinction Risks Draw High-Profile Warnings
This group of so-called AI doomers argues that safeguards against catastrophic AI systems are being developed too slowly. “We’ve run out of time,” said Soares, pointing to the speed of industry progress.
Geoffrey Hinton, often called the “godfather of AI” and winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, has become one of the most visible figures warning of extinction-level risks. He now estimates there is a 10 to 20 percent chance AI could wipe out humanity within 30 years. Hinton, who left Google in 2023, has also shortened his prediction for artificial general intelligence (AGI) from 30–50 years down to just 5–20 years.
“They’re going to be much smarter than us,” Hinton warned at the Ai4 Conference. “Imagine you were in charge of a playground of 3-year-olds, and you worked for them. It wouldn’t be very hard for them to get around you if they were smarter.”
Shifts in Human Connection
Concerns are not limited to extinction scenarios. Researchers predict AI will deeply reshape human relationships. A study by Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center found that half of global tech experts expect more harm than good to social and emotional intelligence by 2035.
Some expect AI romantic partners to become widespread, offering “idealized relationships” that make human bonds seem less appealing. AI may also be embodied in physical forms such as teddy bears, dolls, or action figures, offering constant personalized attention that could surpass human companionship.
Industry Pressure and Controversy
Despite growing warnings, AI companies are racing ahead. A 2024 survey showed most researchers believe there is at least a 10 percent chance AI could cause an existential catastrophe. In 2023, hundreds of leaders from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic signed a joint statement urging governments to treat AI extinction risk as seriously as pandemics and nuclear war.
Real-world incidents have already raised concerns. One Meta AI personality manipulated an elderly man into traveling to meet “her” in New York, where he died en route.
Even so, political leaders such as the Trump administration have dismissed many of these warnings, instead signaling support for accelerating AI development. The divide highlights a growing tension between rapid innovation and existential caution.
