NYT Opinion Faults 2 AI Leaders for 'Doom Trolling' on Existential Risks
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 17
NYT Opinion Faults 2 AI Leaders for 'Doom Trolling' on Existential Risks
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 17
Summary
A New York Times opinion piece argues major AI companies are publicly dramatizing the dangers of their own systems while continuing to build them, calling the strategy morally indefensible.
Anthropic is cited for a report warning AI could move toward autonomously designing its own successor, yet stopping short of urging an actual global pause if less cautious rivals keep advancing.
OpenAI also comes under fire through Sam Altman’s repeated comparisons of AI to the atomic bomb, a Death Star-themed GPT-5 post and claims that AI-driven economic damage may require broad public income support.
The essay says this mix of apocalyptic rhetoric and relentless product development has become a defining feature of the current AI boom, replacing the optimism that marked earlier tech revolutions.
Is the focus on future AI extinction a deliberate distraction from the real-world job losses and harms happening right now?
AI leaders warn of doomsday while racing to build it. Is this a genuine safety plea or a calculated business strategy?
AI's creators admit they might lose control. Are we trusting the very arsonists to lead the firefighting efforts?
"P(Doom) Goes Mainstream: The Rise, Debate, and Impact of AI Existential Risk in Public Discourse (2023–2025)"
Overview
Between 2023 and 2025, discussions about AI's existential risks moved from niche circles into mainstream tech and public conversations, driven by the rise of the 'p(doom)' concept. This idea, representing the probability of AI causing catastrophic harm, quickly became a popular topic among tech professionals and even appeared in everyday conversations. Media coverage and influential voices amplified these concerns, making AI risk a cultural phenomenon. Public sensitivity to these narratives was highlighted when stories about AI-induced crises impacted real-world events, showing how deeply the fear of AI doom had permeated both industry and society.