Anthropic CEO warns AI botnets could seize control of the internet within a year
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has cautioned that rapidly advancing AI capabilities could enable a persistent, AI-driven botnet swarm to take over large parts of the internet within 6 to 12 months, potentially causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage. Former Anthropic researcher Evan Hubinger echoed similar concerns, estimating a greater than 10% chance of AI causing human extinction within the next decade, citing the lack of a solid plan for AI alignment.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
These warnings come from insiders at one of the leading AI labs, lending weight to fears that AI systems are advancing faster than the safety measures needed to control them. As AI moves from simple question-answering to autonomous, multi-step task execution, it could lower the barrier for malicious actors to launch large-scale cyberattacks without needing specialized human expertise.
- Anthropic's CEO warns AI-driven botnets could threaten global internet infrastructure within a year.
- A former Anthropic researcher estimates over 10% odds of AI-related human extinction within a decade.
- The concerns highlight a widening gap between AI capability growth and the development of safety guardrails.
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Published there as: “Anthropic CEO warns of AI-driven botnet 'swarm' taking over the entire internet — 'In 6–12 months such a swarm could be capable of taking over the entire internet with a persistent botnet'”
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