Doomsday Clock moves to 85 seconds as scientists cite AI and tensions

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced the Doomsday Clock has been moved to 85 seconds to midnight, and experts cited rising geopolitical tensions, climate issues and developments in artificial intelligence as key factors.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that the Doomsday Clock has been moved forward to 85 seconds to midnight. The organisation reported that experts judged humanity has not taken the necessary steps to reduce the risk of global disaster. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa and members of the Science and Security Board cited rising geopolitical tensions, climate-related issues and developments in artificial intelligence as contributing factors. The clock was created nearly 80 years ago by figures including Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer as a symbolic measure of global risk. Key points: - The Bulletin moved the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight, from 89 seconds before the announcement. - Officials, including Science and Security Board member Steve Fetter, said "In every area, we have failed to take the steps necessary to reduce risks," and noted new developments that increase those risks. - The Doomsday Clock has moved closer to midnight since 2015; its safest recorded setting was 17 minutes to midnight in 1991 and it has been as close as three minutes in 1984. Summary: The Bulletin describes the clock's new setting as indicating closer proximity to global disaster than at many past points and names geopolitical tensions, climate issues and AI as central drivers. The announcement reports that experts see a broad failure to reduce multiple risks. Undetermined at this time.