Ex-Google DeepMind Researchers Quit, Warn AI Could Kill Humanity

Two former Google DeepMind researchers have publicly resigned and warned that advanced artificial intelligence poses an existential threat to humanity, adding to a growing chorus of concern within the industry. Bilal Chughtai, who worked as a research engineer on AGI safety and alignment, announced his departure on Monday, stating he "earnestly believe[s] that AI has the potential to kill us all, and that we might be running out of time to avoid this outcome." His comments followed a similar warning from Josh Engels, another former member of Google DeepMind's AGI safety team, who said he left the company three weeks ago due to the "terrifying chance" AI systems could cause immense harm within five years. Engels, who joined the nonprofit METR to study AI misalignment, said he turned down job offers from Anthropic and OpenAI because of the same safety concerns. He argued that AI development must be slowed so safety measures can keep pace with rapid capability improvements, particularly as companies race to build superintelligence through recursive self-improvement.