Tech reporters host live Q&A on AI safety concerns

A live Q&A session with senior technology reporters will take place at 3 p.m. BST (4 p.m. CEST, 10 a.m. EDT) to address public concerns about the potential dangers posed by advanced artificial intelligence. The event, open to anyone who signs up or logs in, invites participants to submit questions in real time about the credibility and scale of recent alarmist claims that AI could “destroy the world as we know it.” Organisers say the discussion will focus on separating hype from evidence, drawing on recent reports that have heightened anxiety across the sector.

The backdrop to the session includes a series of high‑profile warnings: a recent Anthropic briefing detailed attempts by criminals, state‑backed actors, spyware firms, scientists and propagandists to exploit its models for weapon design, pathogen creation and surveillance, while Elon Musk has likened AI’s risk to that of nuclear weapons. Reporters will examine these assertions, evaluate the likelihood of such misuse, and clarify what safeguards are currently in place. The aim is to provide a factual, balanced perspective on whether the current “AI freakout” is justified and to inform the public about ongoing efforts to manage emerging AI risks.