Former AI researcher: ‘Not enough time’ for employees to consider safety of models

Jacob Coxon, who left Anthropic days earlier, told ABC's This Week on Sunday that staff at AI companies lack sufficient time to evaluate the risks posed by the models they build. His remarks came in the wake of his recent resignation from the company where he had worked as a researcher.

Speaking to the program, Coxon said safety issues are "definitely not top of mind" for employees at AI firms. He argued there simply isn't enough time available for workers to pause and fully consider potential harms associated with the technology they are developing.

Coxon's comments add to a series of public statements from current and former AI researchers raising concerns about whether industry timelines and priorities leave room for thorough safety assessment. His critique focuses on internal capacity and attention rather than on any single technical failure.

The former Anthropic researcher’s interview highlights an ongoing conversation about balancing rapid development with safeguards, a debate that has intensified as advanced AI systems become more capable and widely deployed.