The AI Industry’s Moment of Gloom, Doom, and Profit

Mother Jones
by Anna Merlan and Abby Vesoulis
March 5, 2026
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7 min read

The Bottom Line

The AI industry faces ethical dilemmas as powerful technologies are used in military and commercial applications, causing internal conflict.

AI-Generated Summary

The AI industry is grappling with profound ethical dilemmas and internal conflicts as its powerful technologies are deployed in military applications and commercial ventures. Recent events, including the use of Anthropic's Claude AI by the US military in strikes against Iran and subsequent policy shifts by major AI companies like OpenAI and xAI, highlight a growing tension between profit motives and safety concerns. This has led to public resignations of AI researchers citing existential fears and ethical reservations about the technology's unchecked development. The industry faces a critical juncture, with leaders navigating intense competition and the potential for both transformative progress and widespread societal risks. This ongoing struggle underscores the urgent need for robust ethical frameworks and responsible governance in AI development.

What's Being Done

Actions, solutions, and how to get involved

Organizations like the AI Safety Institute (UK/US) and the Partnership on AI are working to develop safety standards and ethical guidelines for AI. Lawmakers globally are proposing legislation, such as the EU AI Act, to regulate AI development and deployment, while researchers continue to advocate for responsible innovation and transparency. Readers can get involved by supporting organizations dedicated to ethical AI, contacting their representatives to advocate for AI regulation, and staying informed about policy developments and research in AI safety.

AI-researched overview of ongoing actions and responses

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