{
  "id": 13979051,
  "title": "Nuclear war and malicious use of AI could end humanity by 2100, scientists warn",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/nuclear-war-and-malicious-use-of-ai-could-end-humanity-by-2100",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-12T14:39:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/12/nuclear-war-and-malicious-use-of-ai-could-end-humanity-by-2100-scientists-warn"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Scientists warn that the malicious use of artificial intelligence or nuclear war could lead to the end of humanity by 2100, as per a global health risk assessment. This alarming revelation tops a list of 17 major threats to human health, as identified in a study published in The Lancet. These threats include antimicrobial resistance, climate change, pandemics, income inequality, and various health issues such as tobacco use, obesity, and mental health problems.\n\nAccording to the study, nuclear conflict encompasses not just the impact of missiles, but also the consequences like nuclear famine. The malicious use of AI involves the creation and deployment of bioweapons against humanity. The research was carried out by a team of 37 experts from diverse fields including health, economics, security, and technology. They utilized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) as a metric to compare each threat from 2025 to 2100 across 204 countries and territories, considering factors such as age, sex, and cause.\n\nThe study reveals the range of healthy years of human life that could be lost to each global threat in best- and worst-case scenarios. For instance, obesity is estimated to contribute to the largest cumulative expected amenable burden. The experts aim to empower governments with this information and tools to prepare for these global threats and take decisive action to avoid worst-case scenarios. However, they emphasize that their work is not about ranking threats or setting policy priorities but reporting and analyzing global threats as a dynamic process, with findings subject to change as new evidence and data are collected.\n\nWhile the malicious use of AI and nuclear conflict pose risks of extinction within the next 75 years, the researchers caution that all threats are interconnected. They advocate for a holistic action framework grounded in science, human rights, and solidarity. The Commission recommends national governments to invest in \"threat-ready health systems\" and \"breakthrough solutions\" like nuclear fusion and carbon removal technologies. They also stress the importance of regular monitoring and risk assessments, sharing findings with international organizations like the G20 and the UN to encourage collective action. The researchers believe that the current \"competitive approach\" of addressing challenges individually is hindering humanity's chances. Their findings were presented at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany, and will be updated annually to incorporate new data and emerging challenges.",
  "summary": "They are among 17 global threats to human health according to a new study by The Lancet which aims to drive global action to address them.",
  "key_points": [
    "Malicious use of AI and nuclear war could end humanity by 2100",
    "Study ranks threats to human health, including nuclear conflict and AI misuse",
    "Experts from 37 diverse fields assess global health risks 2025-2100"
  ],
  "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."
}