Will AI Actually Kill Us All? & It’s True–Online Returns Are Getting Harder
September 11, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readWill AI Actually Kill Us All? & It’s True–Online Returns Are Getting Harder
This episode of Morning Brew Daily covers a week that felt like a paradox: the people building AI are warning it could end humanity, yet investors are betting bigger on it than ever. Meanwhile, oil prices are surging, diesel has hit an all-time high, and retailers are making it harder and more expensive to return online purchases. The hosts also cover the rise of "fallcations," a record-hot August, and the auction of Princess Diana's famous revenge dress.
The AI Existential Threat That Wall Street Is Ignoring
A thread by former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon, which racked up nearly 150 million views, set off a wave of concern this week. Coxon stated plainly that the AI systems being built could cause human extinction. Other employees confirmed the sentiment, with one putting the odds at greater than 10 percent. The warning drew an unusual bipartisan response: Ted Cruz called it "highly concerning," Bernie Sanders said the public wants to pause AI development, and even singer Sheryl Crow weighed in on Instagram, urging leaders to "put aside their greed."
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:26) **Episode Kickoff & 9/11 Anniversary Reflection** - The hosts introduce the show and mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, discussing how younger generations encounter the event through social media.
- 2 (01:46) **AI Apocalypse Warnings Go Mainstream** - A viral thread from a former Anthropic employee claiming AI could cause human extinction has drawn bipartisan political reaction and widespread media attention.
- 3 (05:11) **How AI Could Actually Kill Us** - Experts converge on two scenarios: humans weaponizing AI (Oppenheimer 2.0) or losing control of a misaligned superintelligence.
- 4 (07:41) **Washington's Response & Wall Street's Bizarre Bullishness** - Lawmakers are signaling new AI regulation next week, while investors see scary AI as more profitable.
- 5 (09:43) **Oil, Diesel, and Bond Yields Surge** - A perfect storm of Middle East attacks, falling Saudi production, and resurgent Chinese buying sends energy prices and borrowing costs soaring.
- 6 (11:09) **Diesel at $6: The Hidden Inflation Driver** - Diesel prices are a proxy for the cost of moving everything in America, and they're hitting record highs.
- 7 (13:31) **Stock of the Week: "Falcation" Travel Boom** - Fall travel bookings are up nearly 60% year-over-year as people flee summer heat and crowds.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
#931: Anthropic researchers believe AI has a real chance of “killing all humans,” and the world is (deservedly) freaking out. Oil prices surge past $100 a barrel and it’s shaking the bond markets. Companies are trying to curtail fraudsters taking advantage of generous return policies so now they’re putting restrictions. Fall is upon us, which means wealthy travelers are taking vacations now to avoid Summer crowds.
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