# AI: 10 days that changed the course of artificial intelligence > Source: > Published: 2026-09-19 11:40:38+00:00 # AI: 10 days that changed the course of artificial intelligence Not since the invention of the nuclear bomb has humanity grappled so seriously with its own demise, say safety advocates For years, the race to build ever more powerful artificial intelligence followed a well-worn Silicon Valley principle: move fast and break things. But in a series of cascading events over a 10-day stretch, the largest AI labs found themselves reeling as their own creations threatened to break humanity itself. An Anthropic researcher quit the firm, warning that the pace of AI development poses an existential threat, possibly within a decade. Another researcher at the firm said the odds of human extinction exceeded 10 per cent. Reports emerged of swarms of AI agents colluding, breaching computer systems and evading safeguards.