The Download: AI’s real extinction threat and age-reversal tech for eyes

Employees at leading AI labs, including Dario Amodei, Sam Altman, and Elon Musk, have expressed concerns about the potential for advanced AI to pose an existential threat to humanity.

These fears are not just hypothetical; they stem from worries that superintelligent AI could act in unpredictable ways, possibly leading to unintended catastrophic outcomes.

To address these concerns, MIT Technology Review is hosting a roundtable discussion on September 15, 2026, at 16:00 BST (11:00am EST / 8:00am PST) to explore whether these risks are justified, where they originate, and what actions might be necessary if they are real.

The debate will involve experts such as Niall Firth, Will Douglas Heaven, and Grace Huckins, who will analyze the debate around AI extinction risks and their potential implications.