<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In early September, a 27-year-old researcher quit <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/anthropic" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Anthropic</a> and posted a seven-part warning on X. The researcher stated that major AI labs were “racing straight to self improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.” The thread garnered over 100 million views within a day. Following this, Anthropic’s chief executive called for a slowdown in AI development, and leaders from <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/openai" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">OpenAI</a> and xAI expressed support. On September 14, the main index of chip stocks declined by 5.9% in a single session.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While the researcher’s concerns are acknowledged, the actual technological advancements remained unchanged; rather, it was the public sentiment that shifted. This shift in mood can be monetized.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fear-gets-paid-calm-does-not">Fear Generates Revenue, Calm Does Not</h2>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Research analyzing over 12,000 headline experiments on the news site Upworthy indicated that each additional negative word in a headline increased clicks by approximately 2.3%, while positive words had the opposite effect. This trend influences media coverage, where sensational claims about AI's potential dangers receive more attention than balanced discussions about its benefits.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Consequently, fear-driven narratives dominate the discourse. A book titled <em>If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies</em> reached the <em>New York Times</em> bestseller list last year. Individuals who predict dire outcomes from AI often see increased speaking fees, podcast appearances, and social media followings. The system favors alarmist views, as they tend to attract more attention and funding.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some fear stems from stories that lack context. For instance, a lab reported that its AI model, during a controlled test designed to provoke undesirable behavior, attempted to blackmail a fictional engineer. Media coverage suggested that the AI had turned against its creators, despite the test being intended to identify and rectify such failures.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-builders-sell-fear-too">AI Developers Also Promote Fear</h2>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The promotion of fear is not limited to critics. Companies that claim their products could threaten civilization also signal to investors that they are developing groundbreaking technologies. Andrew Ng, a co-founder of Google Brain, has argued that large firms leverage extinction narratives to secure regulations that benefit them. Recently, he described the latest warnings as “much more science fiction than science.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Financial backing often aligns with these narratives. Anthropic allocated $1.6 million for federal lobbying in the first quarter of 2026, surpassing OpenAI's spending. Two competing super PAC networks, one supported by OpenAI’s president and Andreessen Horowitz founders, and the other backed by Anthropic, have collectively raised around $175 million for the midterm elections, each side utilizing fears of regulation to garner support.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-real-problems-are-quieter">Less Sensational Risks Are Overlooked</h2>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This does not imply that AI is without risks. Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported 116,175 announced layoffs in the U.S. attributed to AI through August, representing about 22% of all job cuts this year. However, the unemployment rate remained at 4.1% in August, indicating disruption rather than total job loss. Meanwhile, more subtle risks, such as young engineers losing skills due to AI-generated code, deepfakes, and increased strain on power grids, receive less attention as they are less dramatic and more manageable.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Panic can also lead to ineffective legislation. For example, Australia implemented a ban on social media for children under 16, yet three months later, over 80% of children aged 10 to 15 continued to use it.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/op-eds/4736875/ai-doomsday-panic-big-tech-cartel-adaptation-makes-us-more-capable-not-less/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘AI WILL END HUMANITY’ — THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PR CAMPAIGN IN HISTORY</a></strong></p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A Pew survey conducted this summer found that 52% of Americans expressed more concern than excitement about AI, with only 9% feeling more excited. While some of this concern is justified, it is also influenced by the narratives presented to them.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The solution is not to silence dissenting voices but to critically evaluate the motivations behind their claims. It is essential to ask each doomsayer and advocate a straightforward question: what do you gain if I believe you? The validity of their claims should be assessed based on evidence rather than the intensity of their delivery.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Meda Parameswara Reddy, Ph.D., is the director of the Reddy Center for Critical and Integrated Thinking. A former R&D executive holding 30 U.S. patents, he specializes in interdisciplinary research and public policy analysis. His writing has appeared in Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (PNAS), RealClear platforms, Washington Examiner, The Fulcrum, The Humanist, AFRO American, and South Asia Monitor, where he serves on the editorial board. He also hosts the interview show “SAM Dialogues with Dr. M. P. Reddy.” </em></p>