# Anthropic researchers warn of existential AI risks as Musk rejects concerns

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/more-anthropic-researchers-warn-of-ais-perils-as-musk-terms-fears-a-psyop/
- Published: 2026-09-10T21:51:26+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-10T22:24:10+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/10/anthropic-researchers-warn-ai-musk
- Topics: AI, Art, Business, Celebrity, Companies, Culture, Entertainment, Research, Science, Technology

## Key points

- Anthropic insiders publicly warn AI could cause human extinction within a decade.
- Warnings follow researcher Jacob Coxon's resignation over safety concerns.
- Musk and allies call the warnings a coordinated "psyop" or PR setup.

## Summary

More researchers and staff at AI company Anthropic have publicly echoed warnings that their own technology could pose an extinction-level risk to humanity, a day after former researcher Jacob Coxon announced his resignation citing concerns that Anthropic and rival OpenAI were "gambling with our lives" by developing AI irresponsibly. The wave of statements matters because it comes from insiders directly involved in building these systems, some of whom say colleagues privately share the same fears but have stayed silent, raising questions about internal dissent within one of the industry's leading safety-focused labs. Elon Musk and other conservative commentators have dismissed the concerns as a coordinated "psyop" or "setup" intended to build support for AI regulation, adding a political dimension to the debate.

Anthropic staff including Anna Wang, Drake Thomas, Samuel Marks and Evan Hubinger backed Coxon's warnings on social media, with Hubinger stating he believes there is a greater than 10% chance AI could kill all humans within the next decade, and Wang noting there is "not yet a viable scientific plan" to manage risks from self-improving AI. Musk, amplifying a theory from think-tank researcher Parker Thayer, suggested the episode was a well-funded PR operation to push Democrats towards heavy AI regulation, a claim Coxon rejected by posting a selfie asserting his views were genuine. Anthropic issued a statement defending its approach, saying it has "always been transparent" about AI's risks and benefits and continues to build models with strong safeguards.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.