Tech article
‘Godfather of AI’ says tech regulation is nearing Covid-style pivot moment
Publisher description: Safety crisis makes it more likely that governments will be spurred into action, says Yoshua Bengio
The Guardian | Sep 16, 2026 | Dan Milmo Global technology editor
Automated excerpt
Concerns over AI safety are reaching a point where governments realise they must act to protect the public, similarly to in the Covid pandemic, according to one of the “godfathers” of the technology. Yoshua Bengio said recent events, including a “swarm” of OpenAI agents hacking a startup and tech insider warnings of an existential threat, were cutting through – making government action more likely. The Canadian computer scientist, a prominent voice in the campaign to rein in breakneck AI development, said he was now “more optimistic than many observers because I see the public moving”.
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