Alex Turner, a former Google DeepMind scientist, cautioned that a one‑in‑three chance exists for AI to kill humanity within the next decade, speaking at the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi on October 23.
He described the race to build more powerful AI as a potential "intelligence explosion" that could outpace human oversight, citing growing autonomy of AI agents and the difficulty of monitoring their behaviour.
Turner likened AI agents to gig workers, noting that as they take on more complex tasks, ensuring they follow human intent becomes harder, and he warned that companies may rely on other AI to monitor AI, a practice he says could fail.
After leaving DeepMind in June over a Pentagon contract, Turner criticized the industry’s transparency, saying big AI may downplay risks, and he urged governments to impose stricter regulations before the threat materializes.