SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) – A former researcher at OpenAI and Anthropic is sounding the alarm about the potential risks of artificial intelligence.
Jacob Coxon, who spent the last three years working at the two AI companies, announced his resignation on social media Tuesday.
“Neither company is acting responsibly. They are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives,” Coxon said.
Within hours, Evan Hubinger, a researcher who still works at Anthropic, responded online.
“We really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans. I personally think it is greater than 10 percent within the next decade,” Hubinger said.
The claims raise questions about whether the threat is realistic or part of a series of bold predictions from an industry known for rapid advances and ambitious forecasts.
The concerns extend beyond Silicon Valley. In South Bend, residents are also thinking about how artificial intelligence could affect everyday life.
“What’s going to happen if this AI takes over some part of the landing program for airports or something like that where people are directly threatened,” said Joseph Mauck, a South Bend resident.
Mauck said the concern is not limited to worst-case scenarios. He also worries about how closely the technology is already tied to daily life.
“If you are going to mimic the personalities and characters of human beings, then you have to take into account the tremendous amount of subtlety that goes into their actions,” Mauck said.
Not everyone shares that level of concern.
“It’s going to be exponential, right. Computers are going to work faster and they’re going to start to be able to use resources on their own, so I don’t think we’re too far off from it. Whether I’m afraid, I don’t know — I try not to live in fear,” said Adrian Pacheco, a South Bend resident.
Whether it is fear of the worst-case scenario or unease about what comes next, people are wrestling with the same questions as researchers who are leaving the companies building the technology.
“I think we can pull it off — we’ll survive,” Pacheco said.
Stay up to date on local news with WNDU on-air and online. Be sure to download the 16 News Now App and follow our YouTube page as we continue to bring you the latest news coverage.
Copyright 2026 WNDU. All rights reserved.