{
  "id": 7815467,
  "title": "Stop worrying about an AI apocalypse: Surfshark's engineer says extinction fears are just a 'marketing move'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/stop-worrying-about-an-ai-apocalypse-surfsharks-engineer-says",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-16T15:09:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/stop-worrying-about-an-ai-apocalypse-surfsharks-engineer-says-extinction-fears-are-just-a-marketing-move"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent artificial intelligence (AI) doom predictions are nothing more than a clever marketing tactic, according to Karolis Kaciulis, Lead System Engineer at Surfshark, a leading VPN and consumer cybersecurity company. These sensational warnings, which have been circulating in the media, are nothing new and are recurrent, Kaciulis told TechRadar. The debate surrounding AI threatening humanity is simply a distraction from the actual, pressing privacy concerns caused by generative AI. While AI might not be capable of taking over the world, it is already providing cybercriminals with highly effective tools for scams and intimidation. The financial losses due to deepfake fraud have already reached $2.19 billion globally, with $149 million in the UK alone. Moreover, the environmental impact of AI is another pressing issue that is often overlooked in the AI apocalypse narrative. The energy consumption of data centers used by AI models is immense, contributing to the loss of wildlife and land, as well as consuming significant amounts of water to cool the servers. Kaciulis suggests that the AI industry's focus on potential future dangers may be an attempt to divert attention from the current, more tangible risks that generative AI poses to everyday consumers. The limitations of large language models (LLMs) could also be a problem for AI companies, as they may have reached their maximum potential and are no longer capable of significant improvements. This plateauing of technology could be the real challenge for AI companies moving forward. To stay safe from AI threats, Kaciulis advises focusing on protecting your finances and personal data, rather than preparing for an AI apocalypse.",
  "summary": "Surfshark's Lead System Engineer, Karolis Kaciulis, argues that instead of fearing a sci-fi apocalypse, we need to tackle the very real problems generative AI is already causing right now.",
  "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."
}