Nuclear war and AI could threaten human survival

The British medical journal The Lancet has published a report by a commission of 35 experts who examined more than 300 potential threats and identified 17 existential risks to humanity.

Two scenarios were placed in the highest-risk category: a nuclear conflict that could trigger mass starvation through a nuclear winter, and the malicious use of artificial intelligence, including the development of biological weapons.

Although experts consider the likelihood of both scenarios low, their potential consequences could be catastrophic. The report stresses, however, that practical measures can be taken to address each threat. Preventing a nuclear conflict could save 133 million lives, while reducing AI-related risks could preserve 10.4 billion years of healthy life.

According to the experts, non-communicable diseases, including obesity and mental health disorders, pose major threats in high-income regions, while inadequate access to education is a key concern in lower-income regions.

In June, scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Leicester reported that all major mass extinctions in Earth's history, including the event that wiped out the dinosaurs, may have shared a common cause: environmental changes occurred faster than living organisms could adapt.

Image: Galerie Bilderwelt / Getty Images