PR Firm Tied to AI Doomsayers Aided Ex-Anthropic Researcher Coxon
DEY. Ideas + Influence reportedly helped book interviews for Jacob Coxon following his public warnings about artificial intelligence, despite his claims of acting independently.
A public relations firm known for its association with AI doomsayers worked with former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon as he gained national attention for his dire warnings about artificial intelligence, according to a report.
DEY. Ideas + Influence assisted in arranging media interviews for Coxon on September 9, the day after he announced his resignation and stated that AI developers believe the technology "could kill us all by the end of the decade." Pirate Wires reported Thursday that DEY. is considered a "doomer" PR firm, citing two individuals familiar with the matter and an email suggesting the firm was attempting to schedule an interview for Coxon.
The report also indicated that DEY. worked to book media appearances for AI skeptic Nate Soares, whose interviews coincided with Coxon's media appearances. Soares, president of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, was recently the subject of a New York Post report concerning his relationship with Aella, an OnlyFans model and sex worker.
The circumstances surrounding Coxon's rapid media engagement have raised questions about potential behind-the-scenes coordination. Coxon's initial social media post on September 8, which warned of AI's potential to cause widespread harm, garnered over 173 million views. He asserted that the warnings were not a "marketing stunt" and that industry insiders often privately express greater fears than they publicly disclose.
Within a day of his post, Coxon was featured in interviews with major television networks and publications including The Wall Street Journal, Axios, Time, and Wired. During a September 9 interview on Fox News, anchor Bret Baier directly asked Coxon if he had collaborated with any third parties in making his concerns public. Coxon responded, "Not at all."
Despite Coxon's denial, the swiftness of his message reaching mainstream discourse, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's statement that he largely agreed with Coxon's concerns, drew attention. Elon Musk commented on X, suggesting the groundwork for the narrative had been laid for an extended period, with Coxon's statements acting as the catalyst.
Pirate Wires could not ascertain the exact start date of Coxon's engagement with DEY. Soares stated on X that he had connected Coxon with DEY. after Coxon's initial post achieved significant traction. DEY. and Coxon did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the report.
The communications firm represents several prominent individuals and organizations involved in the AI safety debate. DEY.'s client list reportedly includes Eliezer Yudkowsky, co-author with Soares of "If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies," and Timnit Gebru, recognized as a leading AI critic. DEY. also provides advisory services to the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, where Soares is president, as well as Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence and Stanford Medicine.
DEY.'s website describes its mission as "the ongoing work of shaping public understanding over time."