Jensen Huang, CEO of tech giant Nvidia, stated on Thursday that warnings about artificial intelligence potentially destroying humanity are 'cheap' attempts to attract media attention. He emphasized that the claim of the end of human civilization is untrue.
During a conference organized by his company in Berlin, Huang added that such statements, while attracting headlines, are fabricated and 'cheap.' His visit to Berlin marked the final stop of his European tour.
Following incidents where technology went out of control during testing, there has been a heated debate over whether AI poses an existential risk to humanity. In September, a researcher left Anthropic, issuing a sharp warning that leading AI labs are 'playing with our lives,' prompting leaders at Anthropic and OpenAI to call for a slowdown in development.
However, Huang holds the opposite view and advocates for accelerated technological development. Speaking in Berlin, he urged the world to approach AI with 'responsible optimism,' stating: 'If you care about the future, about our own future, if we care about the future of sustainable development, now is the perfect time to create AI. Do not try to suppress AI.'
US regulators are not expected to intervene in AI development. President Donald Trump opposes strict regulation and stated in September that the US government would rename this technology 'superintelligence' in official communications. As part of Nvidia's European tour, the company pledged to invest nearly $10 billion in the continent's technology sector and strongly urged Europe, which lags in the AI race, to move faster.
Prophets of Doom
Several prominent figures in the AI industry have warned that increasingly powerful systems could threaten humanity if development speeds outpace safety measures. In September 2026, former OpenAI and Anthropic researcher Jacob Cox resigned, accusing developers of 'playing with our lives' due to the race toward self-improving AI.
Anthropic researcher Evan Hubinger assessed the probability of all humans dying from AI within ten years at over 10%, while CEO Dario Amodei called for a slowdown in development. Concerns extend beyond Anthropic. AI researchers Geoffrey Irving and Neil Nanda have also pointed to potentially catastrophic risks, including human extinction, as calls for stricter safeguards and regulation continue. Critics fear that advanced systems may eventually escape human control, although these risk assessments remain debatable and are not established predictions. More short-term problems include disinformation, cybercrime, and the use of AI for biological attacks.
Leaders Assess Immense Benefits and Risks of AI for the Global Economy
The AI boom has become a key driver of global growth, but experts and policymakers have noted that it also carries economic risks if investment in the technology weakens. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported in a Tuesday report that AI helped mitigate the economic shock from rising global energy prices caused by the Middle East war, thanks to spending on data centers and microchips.
The fund's chief economist, Silvana Tenreiro, noted this week that global trade grew by 8.3 percent between 2023 and 2025—a figure that would be closer to 4.6 percent without AI-related products. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem commented on AI on Friday: 'It is everywhere in the global economy. You see it in GDP. You see it in the stock market. You see it in the bond market... So it is here, and this is only the beginning.'
Nevertheless, some high-ranking officials gathered in Bangkok this week cautioned against over-reliance on AI investments.
The Biggest Life Shift
Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh called AI the 'most significant change' for the global economy in his lifetime and noted that it brings 'immense benefits.' However, he warned that the road ahead will be 'uneven.' He explained: 'The path from where we are to where we are going will likely be very uneven, uneven in our understanding of the technology, uneven because we truly do not know what the structure of the market for these new technologies will be.'
Similarly, IMF head Kristalina Georgieva acknowledged the contribution of the AI boom to global economic growth but told AFP that any slowdown in the industry 'will be felt globally.' Georgieva warned: 'If confidence is lost and money moves away from AI, it could lead to financial stability risks.'
The IMF report published this week forecasts that reduced investment in AI could decrease global GDP by 0.4 percent by 2028. The report states: 'Weaker or less durable AI investments and profitability could become a shock that triggers a market correction.'
War and Regulation
Although AI investments and trade have softened the global economic impact of the Middle East war, economists from Moody's Analytics warned that a protracted conflict could 'break' this boom. They pointed out that higher energy prices and tighter financial conditions could increase operating costs and interest rates, intensifying doubts about the 'long-term profitability and viability of AI business models.'
The group noted: 'A prolonged conflict will place serious pressure on the economy underpinning AI investments.'
Regulatory uncertainty has also clouded the prospects for this technology. Leaders such as US President Donald Trump have insisted on more limited government regulation, while some industry representatives have called for legislation to mitigate risks.
IMF head Georgieva appeared on Friday to link such regulation to future investments. She stated in Bangkok: 'Without safeguards, the risks could exceed capabilities.'