Could AI really kill us all? Your questions, answered

On Wednesday, MIT Technology Review hosted a live roundtable event for subscribers addressing whether AI could kill us all. Because attendees submitted more questions than could be answered in 30 minutes, senior AI editor Will Douglas Heaven and AI reporter Grace Huckins gathered and answered the best submissions. Grace Huckins noted that while precise prognostication is difficult, AI certainly poses lethal risks. AI-powered drones have already killed people in Ukraine, and AI-driven cyberattacks on hospitals will likely claim victims soon. However, the prospect of AI killing all of humanity is considered less likely, though some knowledgeable figures have warned about it for years. While doomer predictions over the past couple of years have proved disconcertingly accurate, total human extinction remains largely confined to apocalyptic science fiction.