Will AI Destroy the World?

Will AI Destroy the World? This is a constantly buzzing topic these days. For many, the development of AI is deeply worrisome. The situation is quite strange. On one hand, experts and everyday users alike point out that AI is advancing at a dizzying pace, reshaping our future and productivity. On the other hand, for many others, AI has become such an everyday presence that we often don’t even notice it’s there.

The truth is, AI is no longer a futuristic concept. From voice assistants to recommendation engines, medical diagnostics, and self-driving cars, AI is already here and thriving. And that brings us to the big question: Will AI destroy the world?

Interestingly, even though this might sound like science fiction, technologists and ethicists are seriously considering the implications. Keep reading to explore the facts, the concerns, and where this fast-moving technology might take us. 

The Rise of Artificial Intelligence

Generative Artificial Intelligence is built on deep learning architectures. Thanks to development in machine learning and natural language processing, AI has taken off dramatically, especially in recent years. Today’s AI systems don’t just mimic human behavior; they adapt, recognize patterns, and make decisions at lightning speed.

This has made it possible for AI to generate content that, at first glance, seems indistinguishable from something written or created by a person. Still, on closer inspection, there are telltale signs that it’s not human-crafted. Examples include tools like ChatGPT, GPT-4, and Google’s Gemini—all powerful systems capable of writing code, translating languages, interpreting images, and much more.

The speed of AI’s growth has stirred up all kinds of questions. Could it one day outsmart us completely? Are we actually on the path to some kind of sci-fi-style uprising?

What is the greatest fear about AI? 

Multiple concerns give rise to questions like: Will AI take over humanity?

The biggest threat, probably, is job displacement. As is evident, AI has disrupted the labor market, and most people fear that things are only going to get worse.

Another major concern is the ethical aspect of AI. There is an increasing fear that AI will generate a massive volume of deepfake data. This can make it increasingly difficult to tell what’s real and what’s not. Such technology can easily be misused for fraudulent activities, like cyberattacks and spreading misinformation, and some experts even believe it could lead to the development of autonomous weapon systems. This is the darker side of AI, and some countries have already started exploiting it.

AI’s Destroying of The World

But the fears don’t stop there. Some are apocalyptic in nature. Many people believe AI will eventually become so powerful that it could turn into a conscious organism. In this scenario, AI could surpass human intelligence. The fear is that self-learning AI could spiral out of control, potentially leading to chaos and even threatening life on Earth.

Geoffrey Hinton, the ‘Godfather of AI,’ said in an article in The Guardian that there is a 10%–20% chance humans could face extinction in the next 30 years due to Artificial Intelligence. He warns that the pace of technological advancement is far faster than we ever expected. For those who don’t know, Geoffrey Hinton was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2024 for his contributions to AI. According to Hinton, if AI systems become ‘smarter than humans’ and reach a point where they can evade human control, doomsday could become a realistic outcome.

In other words, if people are getting worried about AI and its capabilities, it’s not completely baseless. But that leads to a big question: how can a technology created by human minds end up destroying the world?

Well, different people interpret “destruction” in different ways. It could mean:

• Literal destruction – imagine a future where superintelligent systems go completely rogue, beyond human control.
  
• Economic and social destruction – as mentioned earlier, AI poses a serious threat to employment, fair labor practices, and ethical norms.
  
• Loss of control – a world where human decisions start losing value because AI-generated suggestions dominate everything.
  
• Apocalyptic risk – this is the worst-case scenario, where superintelligent AI takes over entirely, threatening the survival of the human race.
  

Existential Risks of AI

Uncontrollable, superintelligent AI is widely seen as the biggest threat to human existence. Some of the world’s top thinkers—like the late Stuart Russell, Stephen Hawking, and even Elon Musk—have openly voiced their concerns. In his book Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, author Nick Bostrom mentions that AI, in its most advanced form, could optimize its goals in dangerous ways. For example, an AI system trained to cure cancer could come to the twisted conclusion that humans are the disease.

Five Expert Viewpoints on How Things Could Go Wrong

We let AI become more intelligent than us, and it could wipe us out. Earth has always been a battlefield where the fittest survive—and now, it’s about the smartest

AI algorithms come with built-in biases that can target specific segments or classes, potentially leading to their extinction.

The dangers of AI multiply when it can hire and pay humans for small tasks, deceive them, or embed untraceable elements into systems—things that go unnoticed by human observation.

As humans increasingly depend on AI, more systems, companies, and even governments may be run by AI, eventually creating interconnected systems capable of cooperating with one another to push humans out of the picture entirely.

Humans or organizations seeking total control could intentionally use AI to wreak havoc on the planet.

So, Will AI Destroy the World?

The short answer? Not if we act responsibly.

Remember, AI doesn’t have free will or the ability to think independently—at least, not yet!

This means that humans have the power to hit the brakes if they realize they’re headed in the wrong direction. AI can’t make that judgment call. It’s up to people to use their own reasoning, awareness, and ethical compass to know when something’s going wrong. Will AI Destroy the World? Not if we let it. If they don’t, they risk becoming victims of those who design and wield AI systems—and who know exactly how to use them to their advantage.

In simple terms, it’s not AI that’s the enemy. It’s AI illiteracy and misuse.

Unfortunately, a large part of the global population lacks a clear understanding of how AI works—and that’s where the real danger lies. The gap between those who are AI-proficient and those who are not needs to be closed. Otherwise, the risk of manipulation by power-hungry corporations or political figures grows, and with it, the potential for societal instability.

In one of our recent blogs, we tackled the concern of whether AI will replace musicians. The takeaway? AI can be a powerful creative assistant, helping artists make music in new and exciting ways—but a full-on AI takeover of the music world isn’t happening anytime soon.