- ‘Ai Godfather’ Yoshua Bengio warns that the AI race is prioritizing speed rather than security
- This risks unpredictable and dangerous consequences
- He urges global cooperation to enforce AI rules before autonomous systems become difficult to control
‘Ai Godfather’ Yoshua Bengio helped create the basis of the neural networks that run all kinds of AI tools today, from chatbots that mimic cartoon characters to scientific research assistants. Now he has an urgent warning for AI developers, which he explained in a Sky News interview. The race to develop increasingly powerful AI systems escalates at a pace that, in his opinion, is overly ruthless.
And it’s not just about which company is building the best chatbot or who gets the most financing. Bengio believes that the fast, unregulated push against advanced AI could have disastrous consequences if security is not treated as a highest priority.
Bengio described seeing developers fighting against each other, being slurmed or taking dangerous shortcuts. Although speed can make the difference in breaking the soil on a new kind of product worth billions and playing a rival to a rival, it may not be worth it to society.
This pressure has only intensified for AI developers with the increase of Chinese AI companies such as Deepseek, whose advanced Chatbot capacities have captured Western companies and governments. Instead of slowing down and carefully considering the risk, greater tech companies accelerate their AI development in an all-out sprint for superiority. Bengio cares that this will lead to rushed implementations, inadequate security measures and systems that behave in ways we do not yet understand.
Bengio explained that he has warned about the need for stronger AI supervision, but the recent events have made his message feel even more urgent. The current moment is a “turning point” where we either implement meaningful rules and security protocols or risk letting AI development spiral into something unpredictable.
After all, more and more AI systems are not only treating information but can make autonomous decisions. These AI agents are able to act on their own instead of simply responding to user entries. They are exactly what Bengio sees as the most dangerous way forward. With enough computing power, an AI that can strategize, adapt and take independent actions will quickly become difficult to control if people want to take the reins back.
Ai takeover
The problem is not only theoretical. Already, AI models do financial trades, logistics management and even to write and implement software with minimal human supervision. Bengio warns that we are only a few steps away from much more complex, potentially unpredictable AI behavior. If a system like this is implemented without strict protection measures, the consequences may vary from annoying hiccups in service to full security and financial crises.
Bengio does not call for stop AI development. He made it clear that he is an optimist about AI’s abilities when he is used responsibly for things like medical and environmental research. He just sees a need for a priority shift to more thought -provoking and conscious work with AI technology. His unique perspective may have some weight when he encourages AI developers to put ethics and security in front of competing with rival businesses. Therefore, he participates in political discussions on events such as the upcoming international AI Safety Summit in Paris,
He also believes that regulation should be strengthened by companies that are willing to take responsibility for their systems. They have to invest as much in security surveys as they do in improvements in performance, he claims, although this balance is hard to imagine in today’s AI NARLIGHT. In an industry where speed is equal to dominance, no company wants to be the first to hit the brakes.
Global cooperation Bengio seats may not be shown right away, but as the AI weapons continue, warnings from Bengio and others in similar prestige positions become more urgent. He hopes the industry will recognize the risk now rather than when a crisis forces the case. The question is whether the world is ready to listen before it’s too late.
