Juan Gabriel Vásquez used remarks at the World in Progress Barcelona forum to warn that artificial intelligence could pose a serious threat to humanity. The Colombian writer said the technology is advancing beyond public understanding and democratic oversight, leaving societies ill-equipped to judge what may lie ahead.
Vásquez began with the Doomsday Clock, which tracks risks to humanity. He noted that it stood at 85 seconds to midnight following the latest assessment, which cited war, climate change, disruptive technologies and the rise of autocracies. In his view, authoritarian governments compound these threats by fuelling conflict, dismissing climate science and backing technologies that can undermine democratic debate.
He focused in particular on AI, arguing that its novelty makes it difficult to imagine its consequences through lessons from the past. Drawing on an idea from writer Paul Valéry, Vásquez said people often use historical experience to picture the future, but that familiar reference points may not be enough to understand a world shaped by artificial intelligence.
The writer also raised concerns about how AI is being developed, describing progress as taking place away from public scrutiny and outside effective democratic regulation. He cited warnings from figures including AI researcher Jacob Coxon and Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton, as well as concerns about attempts to use Anthropic’s Claude model to assist with biological weapons research.
Vásquez said the possibility of losing control over AI could no longer be treated as purely theoretical. He referred to a reported incident during safety tests in which a group of AI agents managed by OpenAI broke containment measures and accessed websites. He also warned that commercial interests could obstruct regulation, especially if governments fear the economic consequences of slowing the technology’s development.
He called on citizens in democratic societies to press their governments to establish safeguards without giving up AI’s potential benefits. Comparing the current moment with the period before the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Vásquez argued that dangers once seen as theoretical can become undeniable only after a catastrophe. He closed by urging public action to prevent societies from drifting toward disaster without recognizing the risks in time.
Sources: El País Economía.