Global experts warn artificial intelligence and nuclear war could drive human extinction by 2100
October 14, 2026 · 2 min read
A new global assessment warns that humanity faces a risk of extinction by the year 2100 due to the malicious use of artificial intelligence or a nuclear war, ranking these two threats among 17 major risks to human health and wellbeing over the next 75 years.
The list was compiled by the Lancet Countdown on Health in the 21st Century, a committee affiliated with the medical journal The Lancet. It includes climate crisis, declining international aid from wealthy nations, childhood malnutrition, air pollution, antimicrobial resistance, armed conflicts, income inequality, and deteriorating mental health.
According to the report, the malicious use of artificial intelligence, including the development of biological weapons, and nuclear war with potential nuclear famine, pose risks that could lead to human extinction in coming decades, though the likelihood of these scenarios remains low.
Experts noted that nuclear war could release vast amounts of particles into the upper atmosphere, blocking sunlight and causing collapse of food production and widespread famine. Artificial intelligence could also enable the creation of biological weapons capable of causing catastrophic damage.
In addition to AI and nuclear threats, experts identified other potential health disasters such as air pollution, antimicrobial resistance, childhood malnutrition, climate change, conventional conflicts, reduced foreign aid, increased alcohol consumption, high blood pressure, income inequality, low education levels, natural epidemics, obesity, mental health disorders, smoking, and age-related health decline.
Researchers emphasized that the inclusion of these risks was based not only on the potential scale of harm but also on the availability of practical solutions that could mitigate their impact.
The 35-member committee plans to present its findings at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany, and intends to update the assessment annually to review the 17 threats and incorporate new data and emerging risks.
The report calls on governments to act before these threats escalate into large-scale crises by investing in technological innovations, strengthening health systems, and developing capabilities for risk prediction, prevention, and preparedness.
Professor Ibrahim Abu Bakr, a committee member and professor of infectious disease epidemiology at Imperial College London, stated that the report aims not to incite fear but to provide policymakers with an understanding of potential risks and the impact that early intervention can achieve.
Experts stressed that these threats are interconnected, making coordinated action essential to reduce health losses and protect future generations.