Executives at Anthropic, OpenAI and Other AI Companies Are Gaming Out the Political Backlash After a Catastrophic AI Event, Axios Reports
Axios reported on Oct. 9 that top executives at Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI companies are privately gaming out scenarios for a public and political revolt after a catastrophic AI event, most likely a cyberattack that knocks out financial services, internet access, or power and water. Many industry insiders told Axios they expect a major event within six to 12 months. OpenAI says its preparedness exercises do not treat such scenarios as inevitable; Anthropic declined to comment. The planning centres on educating Congress before any post-crisis legislation.
The industry's planning assumption, as Axios describes it, is no longer whether a serious AI-enabled incident happens but what Washington does next. Axios reported on Friday, October 9 that top executives at Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI companies are privately gaming out scenarios for a public and political revolt after a catastrophic AI event. The report names no executive, and neither company confirmed the planning as Axios describes it.
What Axios reported
- The scenario: these officials anticipate a large-scale event, most likely a cyberattack, that shuts down access to financial services, internet connectivity, or even power and water. What sets this apart from routine scenario planning, Axios writes, is that "many top AI researchers and executives believe a major incident is inevitable."
- The timeline: many AI industry insiders told Axios they believe a major event will occur in the next six to 12 months. Axios does not attribute that expectation to any named company.
- The work: the planning involves red-teaming for worst-case scenarios but focuses mainly on racing to educate members of Congress. Executives know regulation has no chance of passing now, per Axios, but want to shape what U.S. leaders reach for after a first catastrophic event.
- The politics they expect: top AI planners assume Democrats, ascendant after the midterms, will move fast to shut down AI. Axios lists some of the most heavy-handed proposals as banning superintelligence or pausing advanced AI development; others, such as a required kill switch on advanced AI, have bipartisan support and some industry buy-in, though experts question whether turning off all AI systems is viable.
What the companies said
OpenAI did not endorse the "inevitable" framing. "OpenAI conducts preparedness exercises where teams discuss and work through a range of potential scenarios," a spokesperson told Axios. "These scenarios are not treated as inevitable, but are meant to help us prepare for a variety of circumstances." Anthropic declined to comment.
The example Axios points to
As an illustration of what one person can do, Axios cites a recent campaign against South Korean financial organisations, including reported breaches at two banks, in which a hacker from China allegedly used AI tools including DeepSeek and used Claude Code to ask for help finding places to sell stolen data, according to CrowdStrike. Axios presents this as an example of harm, not as the catastrophic event the planners have in mind.
Limits
- This is one outlet's reporting from unnamed sources. The six-to-12-month expectation is insiders' belief, not evidence, and Axios does not tie it to a named lab.
- OpenAI's statement describes preparedness exercises in general; it does not confirm the backlash planning or the Congress-education focus Axios describes.
- The CrowdStrike attribution in the South Korea example is as Axios reports it; we did not check CrowdStrike's own material.