Nvidia CEO rejects AI extinction fears as ‘doomsday narratives’
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has described warnings that AI could lead to humanity’s extinction by the next decade as “doomsday narratives”.
“2030 is not going to be the end of the world. There is 0% chance that’s going to be the end of the world”, Huang said in an interview with CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
Huang added: “Scaring people is unnecessary. It is irresponsible.”
Warnings from researchers in recent weeks about potential risks posed by the technology escalated the debate about AI safety, with some industry executives calling for a slowdown in developing models.
His remarks follow claims posted on social media by former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon that AI developers believe the technology “could kill us all by the end of the decade”.
Coxon’s concerns sparked debate about the technology’s risks, including calls by top executives like Anthropic boss Dario Amodei and OpenAI’s Sam Altman urging for AI’s development to slow down.
Huang said that such predictions are “not grounded in science”, adding that it is in Nvidia’s best interest to ensure the industry builds its products responsibly.
“Our company’s success is directly connected to the safe deployment of products and services,” he said. “If we don’t continue to do that, our value would be diminished.”
Huang suggested AI firms talking about a “slow down” could be seeking liability protections for harms their products may cause.
“Go and read between the lines,” he said. “They’re actually not asking for more laws. They’re asking to be relieved of the laws we do have, and I think that that’s a problem.”
Nvidia is a key player in the industry, developing cutting edge computer chips that are crucial for making AI models.
The firm’s most powerful chips face restrictions in China due to measures imposed by both Washington and Beijing.
US export controls aim to slow China’s military and AI progress, while Chinese regulations are designed to encourage reliance on domestically produced technology.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held talks in New York on Sunday as they try to strike deals on AI, tariffs and critical minerals.
After the meeting, Bessent told reporters that the two sides had discussed setting up a new AI safety notification mechanism.
It came as President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are due to hold a summit in Washington later this week.
Last week, Huang appeared at a UK summit hosted by King Charles, who warned tech leaders of the “existential dangers” of AI.
“The task before you is not merely to advance technology, but to ensure that it remains firmly in the service of humanity, community and the natural world,” the King told the group.
In the US, President Donald Trump has downplayed concerns about AI’s risks.
Trump made a surprise phone call to Huang while the Nvidia boss was speaking on stage at a tech conference in Los Angeles on 14 September.
During the call, Trump criticised calls to slow the pace of AI development and dismissed fears as a “hoax”.