On September 8, A.I. researcher Jacob Coxon sounded a stark warning on social media, claiming those developing artificial intelligence earnestly believe the technology could threaten human survival by the end of the decade. Coxon’s statement is the latest in a growing chorus of voices expressing existential unease over rapidly advancing technologies, joining a succession of cultural alarms that have gripped the public in recent years, including climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This rising tide of existential anxiety reflects a broader cultural pattern marked by a series of crises: climate disruption, pandemic outbreaks, demographic concerns, mental health challenges, and political instability, among others. Many of these fears stem from a shared feeling of losing control in the face of complex and overwhelming changes. As Naomi Klein has noted, while conspiracy theories may misrepresent facts, they often capture the emotional undercurrents of such societal unease.

Climate alarmism, for example, has long framed industrialization and global warming as a moral reckoning, warning of tipping points that could lead to irreversible environmental collapse. Similarly, the early days of COVID-19 prompted a global retreat indoors as the virus spread rapidly, conjuring images of an unavoidable health catastrophe. The current wave of alarm around artificial intelligence draws from a mixture of science fiction narratives and real-world developments, including concerns about autonomous AI agents acting unpredictably or beyond human oversight. High-profile figures such as former U.S. President Barack Obama have publicly advocated for regulatory “redlines” on advanced AI capabilities.

Despite these fears, historical parallels suggest a more nuanced reality. Early COVID-19 predictions of unremitting exponential growth were partly quelled through swift, large-scale responses including lockdowns, travel restrictions, and rapid vaccine development and deployment. While the pandemic resulted in millions of deaths worldwide, these interventions helped prevent a complete systemic collapse and allowed many countries to manage infection waves over time.

In the case of artificial intelligence, some forecasts have anticipated transformative progress with uncanny accuracy. Advances such as AI involvement in complex mathematical problems have occurred faster than originally expected, although some claims, like the solution to a major millennium problem, remain contested. Yet in other domains, predictions of AI-driven disruption or economic upheaval have not materialized as swiftly or extensively as projected. For instance, despite early predictions that AI might displace radiologists, the profession has grown in recent years. Similarly, anticipated surges in unemployment linked to AI automation have not emerged, and broad economic growth remains modest compared to the more optimistic expectations some experts have voiced.

This disparity between rapid AI advancements in technical fields and slower impacts on broader societal and economic systems may be due to the many complexities beyond intelligence alone, including bureaucratic friction, physical infrastructure limits, and political dynamics. Industry insiders increasingly acknowledge that intelligence—no matter how advanced—is not the sole bottleneck governing technological and economic change.

As the public and policymakers grapple with these developments, the balance between alarm and measured response remains delicate. While some warnings may prove prescient over time, the experience with past crises underscores the importance of contextualizing exponential technological growth within the practical realities of human society.