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He Risked Everything To Warn You: No One Is Ready For What's Coming, And The AI Companies Know It!

2026-07-13 People & Blogs
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The Diary Of A CEO
The Diary Of A CEO
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Ex-OpenAI researcher Daniel Kokotajlo walked away from $2 million rather than stay silent, and now reveals why he believes there's a 70% chance AI leads to human extinction, why superintelligence could arrive before the end of the decade, and the one plan he thinks could still save us all! Daniel Kokotajlo is a former OpenAI researcher and one of the world's leading AI forecasters. He is the founder of the AI Futures Project and the lead author of 'AI 2027,’ the widely-read scenario mapping the trajectory of artificial intelligence. His follow-up, 'AI 2040: Plan A,’ sets out how the world could still navigate superintelligence safely. He explains: ■ What he saw inside OpenAI that made him walk away ■ Why the people building AI privately believe it's coming even sooner than the public is being told ■ What happens if AI becomes powerful enough that humans can no longer control it, and why he puts the odds of catastrophe as high as 70% ■ Why almost every job could be automated, and what that means for the next generation ■ The plan he believes could still lead to abundance and a future worth living in 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:34 Why This AI Mission Could Affect Everyone 00:04:21 Why the Average Person Should Care About AI 00:08:29 Are AI Experts Overreacting or Sounding the Alarm? 00:10:06 Why He Joined OpenAI—and What He Saw Inside 00:13:24 Why He Left OpenAI 00:15:53 What It Was Like Inside OpenAI During ChatGPT's Launch 00:17:16 The $2 Million NDA Controversy Explained 00:19:30 Is Full AI Automation Coming Faster Than We Think? 00:24:19 The AI 2027 Forecast That Changed the Conversation 00:26:33 AGI vs. Superintelligence: The Difference That Matters 00:27:17 How Robots Could Soon Become Part of Everyday Life 00:30:23 Why AI Works More Like the Human Brain Than You Think 00:36:14 Can AI Ever Be Truly Creative? 00:41:15 What Are the Real Odds of Human Extinction From AI? 00:47:58 What AI Will Do to Jobs 00:54:45 The Skills That Will Still Matter in an AI World 01:00:21 AI 2040: What the Future Could Look Like 01:04:36 The Different Futures AI Could Create 01:09:33 Will AI Become Earth's Apex Species? 01:13:18 How AI CEOs Really Make Decisions 01:15:37 Will AI Decide the 2028 Election? 01:18:58 Is There a Safe Path to Accelerating AI? 01:22:11 By 2031, AI Could Do 20% of Cognitive Work 01:25:15 Should Everyone Receive AI Dividends? 01:32:41 What It Will Feel Like to Live Through the AI Revolution 01:34:11 How People Find Purpose After AI Replaces Jobs 01:46:12 Would He Shut Down AI Forever If He Could? 01:49:56 What Can We Actually Do About AI? 01:57:25 Is It Already Too Late to Change Course? Follow Daniel: X - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/47vmwiA Substack - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/5alnhzB  Read Daniel's AI predictions: 'AI 2027': https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/7W2L8di 'AI 2040: Plan A': https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/EFjbRzP AI risk reading list: https://blog.redwoodresearch.org/p/ai-futurism-reading-list The Diary Of A CEO: ■ Join DOAC circle here - https://doaccircle.com/ ■ Buy The Diary Of A CEO book here - https://smarturl.it/DOACbook ■ The 1% Diary is back - limited time only: https://bit.ly/3YFbJbt ■ The Diary Of A CEO Conversation Cards: https://linkly.link/2hm7r ■ Get email updates - https://bit.ly/diary-of-a-ceo-yt ■ Follow Steven - https://g2ul0.app.link/gnGqL4IsKKb Sponsors: Ketone - https://ketone.com/STEVEN for 30% off your subscription order Stan - https://coach.stan.store/?ref=stevenbartlett&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=episode11 HeyGen - https://heygen.com/doac

Top Comments (10)

@maxwess1753 2026-07-13

2020: Learn to code. 2025: Learn to be a plumber. 2030: Learn how to hide in the woods.

10.3k 935 replies
@bl_ush 2026-07-13

"Most of the world is asleep at the wheel." Pal, most of the world didn't even choose this trip.

3.9k 164 replies
@DerMeisterEder 2026-07-13

I actually believe this guy. As he said: Don’t listen to what people say, pay attention to what they do. - The fact that he turned down millions in stock equity only to be able to talk about his experience and concerns gives this man an incredible amount of credibility.

2.9k 129 replies
@grahamcrackercrust87 2026-07-13

"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should." Jurassic Park

2.2k 77 replies
@Seraph_op 2026-07-13

They are not afraid the other guy becomes dictator, they are racing to become dictator. That's a big difference.

1.7k 55 replies
@heavenlybliss4897 2026-07-13

Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish been caught, and the last stream poisoned, will we realize we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian Prophecy ❤

1.6k 67 replies
@TheDiaryOfACEO 2026-07-13

Do you like these types of conversations? Tap the like button on the video, that’s the best way to let me know you want more like this ❤ And if you haven’t already, hit subscribe - it’s completely free and it really helps the channel grow 🙏🏾appreciate you! - SB x

1.1k 175 replies
@lulielawry 2026-07-13

"judge people by their actions, not by their words" Thank you!

456 18 replies
@westerngerry 2026-07-14

This may be the most important interview on YT

59 4 replies
@tels3775 2026-07-14

When he was asked "do you have kids" his reaction was genuinely gut-wrenching

37 3 replies

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