Axios reports that executives at OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI companies are privately gaming out "day after" scenarios for a catastrophic AI event, most likely a cyberattack that shuts down banking, internet, power, or water.

Many AI insiders told Axios they believe a major incident will happen within six to 12 months. OpenAI says its preparedness exercises "are not treated as inevitable, but are meant to help us prepare for a variety of circumstances."

Sam Altman told Politico last week that "the world should accept some bad things happening" in exchange for the benefits of AI, though he drew a line against "really catastrophic" risks.