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AI will dissolve civilisation as we know it

The Australian Financial Review

ENRICHED

Details

Date Published
29 Apr 2026
Priority Score
4
Australian
Yes
Created
29 Apr 2026, 04:00 am

Authors (1)

Description

Demis Hassabis has dedicated himself to guiding machine intelligence for the betterment of humanity – but is it listening?

Summary

This philosophical analysis explores the existential implications of Demis Hassabis's vision for AGI and the potential for machine intelligence to transcend human control. It argues that the trajectory of frontier AI development poses fundamental risks to the organizational structures of human civilization, potentially treating humanity with the indifference of the aliens in 'Roadside Picnic'. The text connects these catastrophic risks to broader geopolitical instability and the historical failure of humans to govern transformative technologies. Its publication in a major Australian business outlet underscores the growing recognition of AI safety as a core macroeconomic and systemic risk.

Body

John GrayApr 29, 2026 – 11.54amIn Roadside Picnic, a science fiction novel by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky published in the Soviet Union in 1972 and the basis for a 1979 film by Andrei Tarkovsky, an extraterrestrial species visits places on the planet that come to be called zones.The aliens stay for only two days, then depart, without displaying any interest in humans or having any contact with them.Loading...New StatesmanSaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginFollow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.Find out moreRead MoreAIOpenAIDonald TrumpFetching latest articles