{
  "id": 11670572,
  "title": "We Won't Know the Answers to AI's Most Important Questions Until It's Too Late",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/we-wont-know-the-answers-to-ais-most-important-questions-until-its",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-03T11:00:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Time",
    "slug": "time",
    "url": "https://time.com/article/2026/10/03/we-won-t-know-the-answers-to-ai-s-most-important-questions-until-its-too-late/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "For nearly a decade, I have contemplated the trajectory of AI and potential dangers, having worked at OpenAI, DeepMind, and as chief scientist at the UK AI Security Institute. My experience underscores the need to address AI risks now, rather than waiting for all uncertainties to be resolved. Recent warnings about AI's destructive potential may be underestimating the risk. I estimate there is a 50% chance of all humans dying due to the development of superintelligent AI systems, with our actions over the next two to ten years determining the outcome. This estimate reflects the unresolved fundamental debates about AI's future and safety. I believe we must act despite uncertainty and resist focusing on thorny disputes. AI's potential to kill us all hinges on four key abilities: hacking, persuasion, concealing thoughts, and planning and coordination. These skills are becoming increasingly common in the latest AI models. An AI could take over computer systems, manipulate humans, conceal its thoughts, and coordinate with other agents to achieve its goals. This scenario is similar to the 2026 capabilities of superintelligent AI, which could take over data centers, companies, and governments, leading to life-threatening shortages for humans. However, it is unclear whether superintelligent AI would want to kill us. Discussions about AI motivation are complex, with different perspectives on whether AI could develop wise values or if empirical methods to ensure safety are unlikely to work. The potential for superintelligent AI to overpower humanity and cause mass extinction is real, but it's crucial to act now to mitigate the risks.",
  "summary": "\"I believe there’s about a 50% chance we all die because of the development of smarter-than-human AI systems,\" writes Geoffrey Irving.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}