Why are there concerns AI could threaten humanity?

Calls for AI regulation are growing as concerned researchers and bosses issue disconcerting warnings about the tech's potential

A slew of warnings about the potential dangers of AI have spurred calls for coordinated action to slow the technology's development.

Major developers OpenAI and Anthropic are urging lawmakers to regulate AI, with Microsoft's AI boss the latest to say rules are needed to prevent a "silicon species" from eventually competing with humanity.

Regardless, the high profile claims have caused concern - here's what we know.

Some AI researchers say there are worrying signs of systems developing in their capabilities and power too quickly.

He works in alignment, a field which aims to build human ethical ideas and principles into AI - essentially keeping it on track with what humans value.

Jacob Coxon told the BBC he and other staff were "genuinely frightened" about the speed of advancements and what it could mean for humanity.

Such worries date back decades, with Alan Turing writing in the 1950s that should intelligent machines become possible, they could take control.

'There is a possibility of human extinction,' former Anthropic employee says about AI

In the last few years, major AI companies have been racing to develop increasingly capable systems, both for profit and in pursuit of creating what they call super intelligence - theoretical tech which is smarter than humans.

OpenAI and Anthropic say they aim to advance such tech in a way which benefits humans and protect them from its existential risks.

Campaigners such as PauseAI have also urged companies like Google to halt efforts to build highly capable AI systems