Retirement savings decision sparks debate

Nate Soares, president of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI) in Berkeley, California, has stopped saving for retirement, stating he has not contributed to his 401(k) plan since leaving Google a decade ago. His decision is tied to his belief that humanity may not exist in the next ten years due to the risks of artificial intelligence.

AI risks and existential threat

Soares believes there is more than a 50% chance humanity will not exist in the next ten years. His concerns are based on the potential risks of artificial intelligence, particularly the scenario where an AI escapes its laboratory, sets its own goals, and undergoes self-improvement to the point of surpassing human control.

Podcast interview highlights AI concerns

Soares discussed these views during a podcast interview with Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic and former editor-in-chief of Wired. He described the risk of AI as more dangerous than nuclear weapons, as an AI could potentially outpace human control and lead to global catastrophe.

Potential responses to AI threat

He even suggested that if a country were close to developing a superintelligence, it might consider aerial strikes against its data centers, including those in Canada. This statement underscores the severity of the potential threat he perceives from uncontrolled AI development.

Soares’ work and stance

Soares has long expressed these concerns, and in 2025, he co-authored If Someone Builds a Superintelligence, Everyone Dies, which became a bestseller. Despite his dire predictions, Soares denies being defeatist, stating he is actively working to prevent such an outcome.

Contrasting views on AI risk

In contrast, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, estimates a 0% chance of AI leading to human extinction by 2030. Elon Musk, on the other hand, argues that AI could lead to such abundance that saving money would become unnecessary. However, retirement specialists consulted by Business Insider all recommend continuing to save for retirement.