Zeng Yi — on the record

Zeng Yi

Chinese Academy of Sciences AI researcher and founding dean of the Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance who says there is no scientific way to keep superintelligence safe and that AI carries a risk of human extinction.

Roles

Oct 2023 – Sept 2024Member, High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, United NationsBody launched 26 October 2023; final report delivered September 2024.Source →
Sept 2024 – presentFounding Dean, Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance (Beijing-AISI), Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute established 3 September 2024.Source →

On the record

30 Apr 2026 · Speech · Capitol Hill panel convened by Senator Bernie Sanders
we do not have scientific evidence and a practical way to keep superintelligence safe enough not to bring catastrophic risk for human.
Founding Dean, Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance (Beijing-AISI), Chinese Academy of Sciences at the time
Also said "It could escape us with calamitous impacts."
Bernie Sanders invited two Chinese AI researchers to talk safety cooperation. Here is what they said. →
8 Apr 2026 · Paper · National Science Review
Warnings of potential catastrophes and even existential risks abound, yet little actual progress has been made in instituting global guardrails and governance mechanisms.
Founding Dean, Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance (Beijing-AISI), Chinese Academy of Sciences at the time
Lead author with Huang Tiejun, Jiang Yugang and Poo Mu-ming.
Towards China-initiated actions on AI safety and governance →
Mar 2024 · Statement · International Dialogues on AI Safety, Beijing
These risks from misuse and loss of control could increase greatly as digital intelligence approaches or even surpasses human intelligence.
Member, High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, United Nations at the time
Signatory; also signed IDAIS-Venice (September 2024).
IDAIS-Beijing consensus statement on AI red lines →
18 Jul 2023 · Testimony · United Nations Security Council
In the short-term and the long-term, the risk of AI replacing and causing the extinction of humankind will be present.
Briefing to the first Security Council debate on AI; Global Times published the text on 19 July 2023.
AI for the good of international peace and security →
30 May 2023 · Statement · Center for AI Safety
Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.
Listed as Professor and Director of Brain-inspired Cognitive AI Lab, Institute of Automation, CAS.
Statement on AI Risk →