Ethereum Co-Founder Vitalik Buterin Thinks If AI Turns Against Us, It May 'Well Leave No Survivors And End Humanity For Good'

Ethereum’s ETH/USD co-founder, Vitalik Buterin, on Monday shed light on his own version of “techno-optimism,” influenced by Marc Andreessen‘s Techno-Optimist Manifesto penned last October, in which Andreessen took a positive stance on AI’s future.

What Happened: Buterin in a blog post said, "This is an extreme claim: as much harm as the worst-case scenario of climate change, or an artificial pandemic or a nuclear war, might cause, there are many islands of civilization that would remain intact to pick up the pieces." 

However, the risks posed by a superintelligent AI that may turn against humanity could signify complete annihilation. "But a superintelligent AI, if it decides to turn against us, may well leave no survivors and end humanity for good," he remarked, worrying that not even Mars could be a refuge.

He advocated for a future that preserves “human” traits and agency, stating, “If we want a future that is both superintelligent and ‘human’—one where human beings are not just pets, but actually retain meaningful agency over the world—then it feels like something like this is the most natural option.”

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Why It Matters:  Addressing concerns about the future evolution of Ethereum during an AMA on Farcaster, Buterin disclosed that two of his greatest fears were the stagnation of cryptocurrency and the potential dangers associated with AI. 

When questioned on what occupies his thoughts frequently, the influential developer cited, “AI-related issues,” specifically existential risks derived from it.

Price Action: At the time of writing, ETH was trading at $1,999, down 1.12% in the last 24 hours according to Benzinga Pro.

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