The AI doomsdayers aren't new. You just weren't paying attention. (www.businessinsider.com)

A recent viral post by former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon has reignited discussions among AI lab professionals about the potential existential threat posed by artificial intelligence, with employees speculating on a 70% chance of human extinction within the next three years. This sudden focus on doomsday scenarios comes against a backdrop of ongoing anxiety in Silicon Valley about AI, which has been voiced by industry leaders like Sam Altman and Jack Clark over the years. Despite the pervasive warnings, there has been a disconnect between the more fearful sentiments expressed by employees and the optimistic narratives from AI corporate communications, as well as a public that remains largely skeptical of technology's trajectory. The resurgence of fear may be attributed to recent AI incidents like the Hugging Face hack, amplifying the public's unease about the implications of AI power and control. Experts like Thomas Larsen suggest that this incident has intensified the anxiety within the community, making fears of AI doomerism more relatable to outsiders. However, not all agree with the level of concern; some experts argue that while AI risks merit serious discussion, the apocalyptic predictions are overly sensationalized. This conversation reflects a growing divide in the AI community, where optimism about technology's potential clashes with deep-seated fears of its consequences.