A former Google DeepMind researcher has resigned, issuing a stark warning about the existential risks posed by advanced artificial intelligence. Bilal Chughtai, who focused on AGI safety and alignment at the company, left his position in July 2026. He recently detailed his concerns on social media platform X, stating that his tenure at DeepMind left him increasingly uneasy about the trajectory of AI development. Chughtai is calling for AI companies to decelerate their development pace, enhance safety protocols, and collaborate rather than compete in the rush to build more powerful systems.
Chughtai’s warning is part of a growing chorus of concern from within the AI community. His statements echo those of Jacob Coxon, a former Anthropic researcher who also resigned recently. Coxon indicated that some individuals building AI genuinely believe it could cause severe harm within the next ten years. Following that, Anthropic scientist Evan Hubinger publicly agreed, estimating the probability of AI causing human extinction within a decade at more than ten percent. These warnings underscore a core issue known as “alignment”—the challenge of ensuring that AI systems consistently follow human goals and remain under human control. Many researchers feel that the methods to guarantee this safety are not advancing as rapidly as the technology itself.
The debate has drawn in industry leaders with differing perspectives. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei advocates for slowing down the pace of AI development. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has spoken about the necessity for greater safety cooperation. Conversely, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes that AI companies already have sufficient incentive to manage safety on their own. The central question remains: how fast should AI advance, and can safety measures keep pace? Chughtai’s resignation adds another powerful voice to an intensifying debate about the risks of powerful AI.