What Emad Mostaque has said about AI existential risk
2 quotes · 1 episode · Sep 11, 2026
Emad Mostaque, Founder of Intelligent Internet and former CEO of Stability AI, has been quoted on AI existential risk 2 times in 1 episode of Moonshots with Peter Diamandis, most recently on September 11, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.
In their words
Mostaque states his own probability of catastrophic AI outcomes has fallen from 50% to 20% and that lab staff privately believe higher numbers than they state.
“I've had a PDM of 50%. It's down to 20%. I really think there is a chance that we could get wiped out”
Moonshots with Peter Diamandis: Should we slow down AI progress? | MOONSHOTS #288 (Sep 11, 2026) · Listen from 27:21
- Partly true
Mostaque predicts AI safety will become the top policy issue in Washington within two weeks of the recording.
“this next week will be top of the agenda in Capitol Hill, occurring, what, 12 days before Xi Jinping arrives in America? Within two weeks, this will be a firestorm across the nation”
Moonshots with Peter Diamandis: Should we slow down AI progress? | MOONSHOTS #288 (Sep 11, 2026) · Listen from 27:48
Predictions
- Partly true
Mostaque predicts AI safety will become the top policy issue in Washington within two weeks of the recording.
“this next week will be top of the agenda in Capitol Hill, occurring, what, 12 days before Xi Jinping arrives in America? Within two weeks, this will be a firestorm across the nation”
Moonshots with Peter Diamandis: Should we slow down AI progress? | MOONSHOTS #288 (Sep 11, 2026) · Listen from 27:48 · AI existential risk
In the two weeks after the September 11, 2026 recording, AI safety drew major Washington attention: OpenAI paused training of its top models, Rep. Casar introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act on September 24, top AI executives signed a frontier-safety accord with President Trump on September 29, and Sen. Hawley held a hearing on OpenAI on September 30. However, Republican senators blocked efforts to fast-track two AI safety bills, and the sources found don't show AI safety was the single top issue on Capitol Hill or a nationwide 'firestorm' by September 30.
Sources: September 2026 US Tech Policy Roundup · H.R.10538 - Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act of 2026 · 2026 state visit by Xi Jinping to the United States · EP #288 Should we slow down AI progress?
Checked Oct 20, 2026
Episodes
Should we slow down AI progress? | MOONSHOTS #288Moonshots with Peter Diamandis · Sep 11, 2026 · 2 h 44 min
The Moonshots panel and Emad Mostaque debate AI safety resignations, P(doom), the Navier-Stokes solution, data as moat, GPU economics and AI-designed longevity drugs.
Others on AI existential risk
- Jeffrey Ladish · 5 quotes
- Connor Leahy · 4 quotes
- Joe Rogan · 3 quotes
- David Robinson · 2 quotes
- Bernie Sanders · 2 quotes
- Bob Lazar · 2 quotes
- Dave Blundin · 2 quotes
- Joe Hudson · 2 quotes
Emad Mostaque on other topics
- Universal basic income · 1 quote
- UK AI Security Institute · 1 quote
- DeepSeek · 1 quote
- High bandwidth memory · 1 quote
- Artificial general intelligence · 1 quote