Concerns surrounding the potential existential risks posed by artificial intelligence are being amplified by a philanthropic movement known as "effective altruism," which critics allege is being used to influence lawmakers and AI policy. Parker Thayer, an investigative researcher at the Capital Research Center, has raised questions about the coordinated nature of such messaging, particularly following the resignation announcement of a former Anthropic researcher.

Jacob Coxon, who resigned from Anthropic, posted on X, "I spent the last three years doing pretraining research at both OpenAI and Anthropic. Neither company is acting responsibly. They are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives." This statement quickly gained traction and was quoted by lawmakers, including Senators Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders.

Thayer suggested that Coxon's post appeared to be the beginning of a "sophisticated and well-funded PR operation to get support for Democrats to regulate AI into oblivion." He noted that the post was concise and quotable, and that the first three accounts to share it did so within minutes of its original posting. Thayer also echoed sentiments from White House AI advisor David Sacks, who has suggested that fears about AI are exaggerated and potentially politically motivated.

"I think this is becoming a panic," Sacks told CBS News. "We're in an election season, and there is an incentive for political actors to try and amplify the fear. And I think this is a moment to really calm down a little bit and look at the issue rationally."

Coxon himself told Fox News that while humanity is on the "doorstep of tremendous discoveries," the pace is too rapid and moderation is necessary. He stated, "I think definitely. I think if we actually try instead of submitting to the inevitability of a doomed race or a hubristic gamble, then we can solve it. The problem is not unsolvable."

Coxon has denied that he is acting in coordination with any groups regarding his public statements. However, Thayer has linked the "AI doomerism movement" to "effective altruism," a philosophy he described as "cult-like."

Effective altruism is defined by the Centre for Effective Altruism as "a project that aims to find the best ways to help others and put them into practice." Thayer contends that while the movement may appear altruistic, Silicon Valley elites and major donors may have more direct political objectives.

Dustin Moskovitz, co-founder of Facebook, and his wife Cari Tuna are significant financial backers of organizations associated with effective altruism. Their foundation, Coefficient Giving (formerly Open Philanthropy), has committed substantial funds to AI safety and policy advocacy, with over $519 million allocated for 2024 and 2025, and plans to commit over $1 billion in 2026.

Moskovitz, with an estimated net worth of $10 billion, has also been a significant donor to Democratic political campaigns. In parallel, the Department of War Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering posted on X, "Americanism, not effective altruism. The United States will continue to be AI DOMINANT!"

Thayer drew a parallel between the AI fear-mongering tactics and the climate change narrative, suggesting it is a strategy to increase government control over the industry. "They basically just say kind of in the same vein as climate change activists like Al Gore used to, they kind of just make bombastic doomsday projections without citing really a whole lot of easily discernible evidence and just expect us to trust their expertise," Thayer explained.

President Donald Trump also weighed in, stating on Truth Social, "The people that say AI is going to destroy the World, and that Data Centers are bad for your neighborhood, are the same people that said, just a short time ago, that the World would be extinguished by 'Climate Change.' That HOAX never worked out for them, and now they’re on to the next one."

Moskovitz, in a 2024 Medium post, acknowledged concerns about AI risks, stating that a potential doomsday "situation may develop extremely quickly" and that his interest stems from concern about the "next few decades."

Speaker Mike Johnson indicated that a White House meeting on AI policy could occur soon. Fox News Digital reached out to Moskovitz, Coefficient Giving, and Coxon for comment.