Views on AI Existential Risk Before and After a Public Event at Harvard University

TL;DR

This study shows that a public event at Harvard significantly increased attendees' perceived AI existential risk and confidence, especially among those less familiar with the topic.

Contribution

It provides evidence that structured public engagement can effectively influence perceptions of AI risks, highlighting the importance of outreach for risk awareness.

Findings

Post-event median AI risk estimate was 70%.

96% of participants agreed AI risk mitigation is a global priority.

Risk perception increases were greater among less familiar attendees.

Abstract

We report the results of identical pre- and post-event surveys given to attendees of a talk, two-sided conversation, and Q&A centered around the book If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies at Harvard University in March 2026, covering perceived probability of AI-caused extinction or severe disempowerment resulting from unimpeded AI development, confidence in those estimates, and global priority. Among the 89 matched participants, the post-event median estimate of the probability of existential risk from advanced AI was 70%, and 96% agreed that mitigating AI existential risk should be a global priority. Although these self-selected respondents' pre-event views were already high (50% and 93%, respectively) relative to results of similar surveys that were previously administered to experts and the general public, the event produced increases on all measures when considering the respondents in aggregate. The magnitudes of increases in risk probability were negatively correlated with prior familiarity with the topic: among attendees with little prior familiarity, 60% shifted upward and none shifted downward, whereas among self-described experts, no respondents shifted upward and 20% shifted downward. Self-reported confidence also increased significantly, and confidence shifts were positively correlated with probability shifts. These findings indicate that a structured public engagement event can meaningfully shift risk perceptions, particularly among newcomers to the topic.