Hey, No Gain without Pain. Very Googley
October 6, 2025
AI firms are forging ahead with their projects despite predictions, sometimes by their own leaders, that artificial intelligence could destroy humanity. Some citizens have had enough. The Telegraph reports, “Anti-AI Doom Prophets Launch Hunger Strike Outside Google.” The article points to hunger strikes at both Google DeepMind’s London headquarters and a separate protest in San Francisco. Writer Matthew Field observes:
“Tech leaders, including Sir Demis of DeepMind, have repeatedly stated that in the near future powerful AI tools could pose potential risks to mankind if misused or in the wrong hands. There are even fears in some circles that a self-improving, runaway superintelligence could choose to eliminate humanity of its own accord. Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, AI leaders have actively encouraged these fears. The DeepMind boss and Sam Altman, the founder of ChatGPT developer OpenAI, both signed a statement in 2023 warning that rogue AI could pose a ‘risk of extinction’. Yet they have simultaneously moved to invest hundreds of billions in new AI models, adding trillions of dollars to the value of their companies and prompting fears of a seismic tech bubble.”
Does this mean these tech leaders are actively courting death and destruction? Some believe so, including San Francisco hunger-striker Guido Reichstadter. He asserts simply, “In reality, they’re trying to kill you and your family.” He and his counterparts in London, Michaël Trazzi and Denys Sheremet, believe previous protests have not gone far enough. They are willing to endure hunger to bring attention to the issue.
But will AI really wipe us out? Experts are skeptical. However, there is no doubt that AI systems perpetuate some real harms. Like opaque biases, job losses, turbocharged cybercrime, mass surveillance, deepfakes, and damage to our critical thinking skills, to name a few. Perhaps those are the real issues that should inspire protests against AI firms.
Cynthia Murrell, October 6, 2025
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