Whistleblowers Say AI Researchers Are Checking Work Less Often
Three former AI lab employees told a New York City Council hearing that researchers are increasingly letting AI write code and conduct research, while checking its work less frequently. The labs have emphasized that AI has accelerated research, and Anthropic said in a recent report that AI was leading more than a quarter of its model R&D as of August.
Why it matters: The testimony highlights how AI-assisted research may be changing oversight practices inside leading labs.
It won’t be any surprise to people with human intelligence that Monday’s New York City Council hearing on the risks of AI was as theatrical as a Broadway show. What was more surprising was what the AI researchers testified about how AI research is evolving, and what that means for their job.
For those who missed it, the city council heard testimony from three AI lab whistleblowers: Jacob Coxon, formerly of Anthropic and OpenAI; Alex Turner, formerly of Google DeepMind; and Daniel Kokotajlo, formerly of OpenAI. Afterwards, they heard from representatives of the AI labs. We’ll get to that lower down.
One of the most interesting parts of the whistleblowers’ testimony related to the AI research process. Coxon and Kokotajlo each said that researchers at the labs have lately been letting AI drive the process of writing code and research. Researchers check AI’s work less frequently, they said.
The labs might not agree with that exact characterization, although their representatives weren’t asked about it at the hearing. But the labs have been the first to say that AI has greatly accelerated the process of AI research. Anthropic even said in a report last month that, as of August, AI was leading more than a quarter of model research and development at the company.
This is the outlet's own summary. Read the full story on the original site.
Read the original →How we got here
- Interconnects: open-weight cyber-risk discourse is brokenInterconnects · Anthropic
- TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 publishes AI-focused breakout agendaTechCrunch AI · Anthropic
- Claude Threat Detection Reportedly Leads to Florida ArrestTechRepublic · Anthropic
- Ben's Bites: four kinds of AI users, and why personal agents aren't there yetBen's Bites · Anthropic
- AI Agents Challenge Workday App Usage and GrowthThe Information · Anthropic
- Gamma 5 launches rebuilt presentation platform to strip the 'AI smell' from slidesSiliconANGLE AI · Anthropic