--- title: "Former Google CEO Warns AI Could Lead to People Being “Harmed or Killed”" description: "Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt says AI is an \"existential risk\" and could lead to \"many, many, many, many people\" being \"harmed or killed.\"" date: "2023-05-25" modified: "2023-05-25" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/former-google-ceo-ai-people-harmed-killed" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Google" tags: - "ai" - "Google" - "silicon valley" - "the digest" --- # Former Google CEO Warns AI Could Lead to People Being “Harmed or Killed” ![Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt says AI is an "existential risk" and could lead to "many, many, many, many people" being "harmed or killed."]() *WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 05: Executive Chairman of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company, Eric Schmidt speaks during a National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) conference November 5, 2019 in Washington, DC. The commission on Artificial Intelligence held a conference on "Strength Through Innovation: The Future of A.I. and U.S. National Security." (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) \Image: Alex Wong via Getty \* ## Four Too Many Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, [who just last week said that AI companies should be left to regulate themselves](), warned the crowd at *The Wall Street Journal's* CEO Council Summit in London on Wednesday that AI tech poses an "existential risk" to humanity, [*NBC* reports](). And in case you were wondering how severe Schmidt's definition of existential risk is, don't worry. He clarified. An "existential risk," said the former Google CEO, according to *NBC*. "is defined as many, many, many, many people harmed or killed." "There are scenarios not today, but reasonably soon, where these systems will be able to find zero-day exploits in cyber issues, or discover new kinds of biology," Schmidt, per *NBC*, continued. "Now, this is fiction today, but its reasoning is likely to be true. And when that happens, we want to be ready to know how to make sure these things are not misused by evil people." So again, just to be clear: Schmidt thinks that AI companies should definitely regulate themselves, regardless of the fact that he *also* believes that the technology they're building could get "many, many, many, many people harmed or killed." Got it! ## Not Adding Up To be fair, Schmidt [isn't wrong]() to voice these kinds of existential concerns, nor is he wrong about the fact that AI could certainly be misused — indeed, [it already has](). Even so, we can't help but point out that warning AI could wreak mass murder just a little over a week after arguing against government regulation in favor of honor code rules feels... well, wildly backward. ## Stonk Watching To that end, it's also worth noting that the former Googler, [who currently sits at number 57 on the *Bloomberg* Billionaires Index](), has been on an AI-focused media tear lately — though it's not totally clear why. Sure, Google has been a pioneer in AI R&D [for over a decade](), and is currently [battling it out]() with OpenAI and Microsoft for control over the AI marketplace. Schmidt, however, who [stepped down]() from his CEO role in 2011 and then from his board position in 2019, hasn't held an official role with the organization for a few years now. But who knows — maybe Schmidt has a forthcoming AI venture in the works, or maybe he's just very passionate about the tech. Or, perhaps, it has a little something to do with that one percent stake in Alphabet, Google's parent company, that Schmidt [reportedly]() still owns. In any case, we'll be watching to see where his media tour takes him next. **More on Eric Schmidt:** [*Ex-Google CEO Says We Should Trust AI Industry to Self-Regulate*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()