Public
- Public
- Network
- Groups
- Featured
- Popular
- People

Given these facts, I struggle to understand what it would mean to “de-escalate the rhetoric” around AI. The CEOs are more convinced than ever that powerful intelligence will arrive within the next few years. The public increasingly believes them — and is appalled by the implications. It seems strange to suggest that, amidst accelerating breakthroughs in AI model performance, everyone needs to calm down. If we really might be facing “the greatest threat to the continued existence of humanity,” as Altman once wrote, shouldn’t we expect people at some point to (non-violently) freak out?

Download link

Given these facts, I struggle to understand what it would mean to “de-escalate the rhetoric” around AI. The CEOs are more convinced than ever that powerful intelligence will arrive within the next few years. The public increasingly believes them — and is appalled by the implications. It seems strange to suggest that, amidst accelerating breakthroughs in AI model performance, everyone needs to calm down. If we really might be facing “the greatest threat to the continued existence of humanity,” as Altman once wrote, shouldn’t we expect people at some point to (non-violently) freak out?
https://cdn.masto.host/theforkiversecom/media_attachments/files/116/400/504/225/859/994/original/6072302d823c2e38.png

Notices where this attachment appears

Embed this notice
Casey Newton (casey@theforkiverse.com)'s status on Tuesday, 14-Apr-2026 11:02:24 JST Casey Newton

I wrote about the disturbing rise of AI-related violence and how CEOs' own rhetoric has put the public on edge https://www.platformer.news/sam-altman-ai-backlash/

In conversation about 3 months ago from theforkiverse.com permalink