Staff at the UK’s AI Security Institute (AISI) have reportedly been signed off work due to stress and are receiving counselling amid concerns about the potential societal impacts of artificial intelligence. The institute, which evaluates advanced AI models for safety and security prior to public release, faces growing internal unease over the rapid development of AI technologies and their possible risks.

Sources familiar with the situation say that researchers at AISI are struggling with low morale and burnout, largely driven by tight deadlines and anxiety about AI’s increasing capabilities. Similar reports have emerged from employees at leading AI firms including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind, where staff members have expressed fears about the broader implications of their work.

A former AISI employee cited heightened concern over breakthroughs related to cyberwarfare and biochemistry, warning that emerging AI tools could enable terrorists or rogue states to conduct sophisticated hacking campaigns or create novel bioweapons. The individual suggested that efforts to regulate and control these technologies are lagging, contributing to a pervasive sense of alarm within the community. “There is this sense that reckless things are being embedded in how tech is released and that is not changing,” the former employee remarked. “There is constant anxiety from people who are saying, ‘Can anything stop this, or are we watching the world burn?’”

AISI operates as a government-funded laboratory charged with assessing AI models for potential safety and security risks. In response to the reports, a UK government spokesperson affirmed that “well-being and sustainable working are central to how the institute operates” and that support systems are available for staff members in need.

Representatives from Google DeepMind acknowledged the demanding nature of frontier AI research but emphasized that providing adequate support for their researchers remains a top priority. OpenAI declined to comment on the matter, and Anthropic did not respond to requests for comment.

The disclosures highlight increasing concern within the AI research community about the ethical and security challenges posed by rapidly advancing artificial intelligence technologies, underscoring the need for ongoing scrutiny as these systems become more powerful and pervasive.