OpenAI and Anthropic executives simulate AI disaster scenarios amid fears of public backlash.

Huo Xing Cai Jing reports that on October 9, according to Axios, senior executives from Anthropic, OpenAI, and other AI companies are privately simulating various scenarios to prepare for potential large-scale public backlash and political resistance following a catastrophic AI incident. These executives anticipate that a major accident could occur in the future, most likely in the form of a cyberattack causing disruptions to financial services, internet connectivity, and even power and water systems. Once an unsafe AI system inflicts significant real-world harm for the first time, the public, already skeptical of AI, may turn further against the technology and its leaders. Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI’s CEO Altman, and U.S. President Trump, who has faced criticism for resisting stronger AI regulation, could all become targets of public blame. Several AI industry insiders believe such a major incident may be unavoidable. An OpenAI spokesperson stated: “OpenAI conducts emergency preparedness exercises to help teams discuss and simulate a range of potential scenarios. These scenarios are not viewed as inevitable events, but rather as tools to help us prepare for any possible outcomes.”