They're profiting off your panic: How AI fear became a business model

In early September, a 27-year-old researcher quit Anthropic and posted a seven-part warning on X. The big AI labs, he wrote, were “racing straight to self improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.” The thread drew more than 100 million views in about a day. Within the week, Anthropic’s chief executive called for slowing the pace of AI progress, and the heads of OpenAI and xAI voiced support. On Sept. 14, the main index of chip stocks fell 5.9% in a single session.

I take the young man at his word. But look at what actually moved that week. The technology did not change. The mood did. And a mood can be bought and sold.