Researchers Warn AI Could Erode Human Agency, Posing an Existential Threat
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Oct 19
Researchers Warn AI Could Erode Human Agency, Posing an Existential Threat
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Oct 19
Summary
A growing group of AI researchers says “gradual disempowerment” — not a sudden machine revolt — could become an existential risk as people hand over work, judgment and skills to AI systems.
The warning rests on a simple mechanism: once AI agents and robots outperform humans on cognitive and physical tasks, companies and governments face strong economic and strategic pressure to replace people.
That shift could hollow out human competence over time, leaving workers as passive approvers who can no longer understand, challenge or repair the systems running businesses, public services and other critical functions.
Researchers say the political risk is broader than the labor market: states that rely on AI for the economy, policing or warfare may need citizens less, potentially weakening democratic accountability.
Proposed safeguards include tracking where AI is displacing labor and building “strategic friction” into systems so humans stay meaningfully involved, especially in high-stakes sectors.