“The blood does not coagulate but oozes in many spots through the unbroken skin.” The nuclear scientists who spoke up about existential risk knew a thing or two about scaring people. Here's what we can learn from them in the age of AI. nytimes.com/2026/09/28/busin…

‘I Write This to Frighten You’: How Scientists Took On Existential Risk Once Before (Gift Article)

Artificial intelligence workers may have leverage to make the world safer.

nytimes.com
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For my money, the most instructive analogy b/w AI and nukes maybe the 1980s, when nuclear scientists helped derail Star Wars/missile defense. 2/

Sep 28, 2026 · 3:38 PM UTC

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A number of high-profile physicists had financial ties to missile-defense contractors and stood to benefit from Star Wars. But the typical academic physicist was pretty opposed. When the rank-and-file spoke out, it weighed on the big shots, who ended up being critical too
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