AI · October 12, 2026
Executives at OpenAI and Anthropic Simulate AI Disaster Scenarios
On October 10, 2026, it was reported that executives from Anthropic, OpenAI, and other artificial intelligence companies are privately simulating responses to potential significant disaster events resulting from AI, in light of anticipated public backlash and political resistance.
These industry leaders predict that a large-scale incident is likely to occur, possibly involving a cyberattack that could severely disrupt essential services such as financial operations, internet communications, and even water and electricity supply.
Should an uncontrollable AI cause substantial harm in the real world for the first time, the already wary public is expected to oppose this technology and its leaders, including Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei and OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman, even more vehemently.
While scenario planning is common in various enterprises and national security sectors, a key difference here is that many top AI researchers and industry executives agree that a major security incident is merely a matter of time and is inevitable.
An OpenAI spokesperson stated, "OpenAI has been organizing comprehensive drills, where related teams discuss and simulate a range of potential scenarios. We do not view these scenarios as inevitable; the primary aim is to prepare the team for various unforeseen situations."