It sounds like the plot of a science fiction movie, but in 2026, the question is being taken seriously by some of the people building the technology. As AI systems become more capable of reasoning and carrying out tasks with less human input, concerns are growing about what happens when humans can no longer fully control them.
Jacob Coxon, a former researcher at Anthropic, recently resigned from Anthropic, warning that AI companies are racing towards self-improving systems and “gambling with our lives.” OpenAI chief scientist Jakub Pachocki also warned that no one is prepared for the consequences of a continued rapid rise in machine intelligence.
But this debate is not only about what happens in Silicon Valley. Africans are already using AI in their businesses and everyday lives, while local innovators are building with it and investors are putting money into the industry.
So we asked eight people across five groups —everyday users, educators, innovators, policy experts, and investors—one question: do you think AI could eventually become a threat to humanity, potentially even to the point of killing us all?
Originally published by TechCabal.