Leading computer scientist Stuart Russell warned on Tuesday that an unchecked artificial intelligence arms race could threaten humanity and urged governments to step in, speaking to AFP at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. He said the rapid development of ever-more powerful systems poses risks that cannot be managed by private companies alone and called for collective action by world leaders.
Russell told AFP that chiefs of major AI firms recognise the danger of creating super-intelligent systems that might one day escape human control, but he argued responsibility ultimately rests with governments. “For governments to allow private entities to essentially play Russian roulette with every human being on earth is, in my view, a total dereliction of duty,” he said, describing the current trajectory as deeply concerning.
He added that while many CEOs likely want to slow development, they cannot do so unilaterally. “Each of the CEOs of the main AI companies, I believe, wants to disarm,” he said, “but cannot do so ‘unilaterally’ as they would be fired by investors.” Russell also noted that even OpenAI chief Sam Altman has warned publicly that AI could pose existential risks to humanity.
The comments come amid public unrest inside leading AI firms: OpenAI and US rival Anthropic have both seen staff resignations over ethical concerns, and Anthropic recently warned that its newest chatbot models could be steered toward “knowingly supporting-in small ways-efforts toward chemical weapon development and other heinous crimes.”
Governments and corporations are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into energy-intensive data centres to train and run generative AI, a trend Russell said raises both promise and peril. While AI can advance areas like drug discovery, it also brings risks such as job losses, increased surveillance and online abuse. Russell warned of an extreme scenario in which “AI systems themselves [take] control and human civilisation [becomes] collateral damage in that process.”
Russell praised international forums like the New Delhi summit as platforms for regulation, but noted the three previous editions produced only voluntary commitments from technology firms. “It really helps if each of the governments understand this issue. And so that’s why I’m here,” he said.
India is pressing to expand its role in AI during the five-day summit. Indian IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the country expects more than $200 billion in AI investments over the next two years, including roughly $90 billion already committed, even as concerns grow that automation could trigger widespread redundancies in India’s large customer service and tech support sectors.
Russell warned that back-end roles in India are particularly vulnerable. “We are creating human imitators. And so of course, the natural application for that type of system is replacing humans,” he said, adding that younger generations are pushing back against the dehumanising aspects of AI. “When you’re taking over all cognitive functions — the ability to answer a question, to make a decision, to make a plan… you are turning someone into less than a human being. The young people do not want that.”
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/tech/govt-must-pull-brakes-stuart-russell-warns-ai-arms-race-risks-humanity-ws-e-13980995.html
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Publish Date: 2026-02-18 11:00:00
