GoKawiilMIRI president Nate Soares says he's stopped saving for retirement over AI extinction fears
Nate Soares, president of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, told The Atlantic's Nicholas Thompson that he no longer contributes to retirement savings, including a 401(k) left untouched since leaving Google a decade ago. Soares argues a superintelligent AI wouldn't need to hate humans to eliminate them—it could simply treat us as obstacles once it no longer depends on us to maintain infrastructure. He is also the author of a book titled 'If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies.'
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Soares' personal financial decision underscores how seriously some AI safety researchers take near-term extinction risk, lending unusual real-world weight to warnings that can otherwise seem abstract. His framing—that the danger lies in AI achieving self-sufficiency rather than malice—echoes concerns raised by other alignment researchers, though the timeline and likelihood of such scenarios remain hotly contested within the field. The anecdote could fuel broader public debate over whether AI risk warnings are being taken seriously enough by policymakers and industry.
- Nate Soares, MIRI's president, has stopped contributing to retirement savings over AI extinction concerns.
- He argues AI risk stems from indifference and self-sufficiency, not malice toward humans.
- Soares has spent 12 years on AI alignment and authored 'If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies.'
If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies (book) — Written by the very AI safety expert profiled in this article, this book lays out his case for why advanced AI poses an existential risk. It's a great way to dig deeper into the reasoning behind his startling retirement decision and understand the AI alignment debate firsthand.
See If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies (book) on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techspot.com — Rob Thubron, 2026-10-27
Published there as: “AI safety expert stops saving for retirement because he believes AI could wipe out humanity within a decade”
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