AI Hunger Strike Ends, But the AGI Debate Rages On

Source: [1] After 30 Days Without Food, AI Protester Quits Hunger Strike (https://decrypt.co/342959/after-30-days-without-food-ai-protester-quits-hunger-strike)

[2] Hunger strike against AGI passes one-month mark (https://peninsulapress.com/2025/10/02/hunger-strike-against-agi-passes-one-month-mark/)

[3] Hunger strikers in SF and London are calling for an end to AI. We Facetimed two of them (https://sfstandard.com/2025/09/14/hunger-strike-ai-anthropic-google/)

[4] The hunger strike to end AI - The Verge (https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/778773/the-hunger-strike-to-end-ai-anthropic-google-deepmind-agi)

[5] Hunger Strikes Outside Anthropic and DeepMind Call for Halt to AI ... (https://www.businessinsider.com/hunger-strike-anthropic-deepmind-ai-threat-2025-9)

[6] AI Doomers Versus AI Accelerationists Locked In ... (https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanceeliot/2025/02/18/ai-doomers-versus-ai-accelerationists-locked-in-battle-for-future-of-humanity/)

[7] Particle News: Hunger Strikes at Anthropic and DeepMind Push ... (https://particle.news/story/hunger-strikes-at-anthropic-and-deepmind-push-for-coordinated-pause-on-frontier-ai)

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Guido Reichstadter, a prominent AI "doomer" and founder of the anti-AI group Stop AI, ended his 31-day hunger strike on October 3, 2025, outside the San Francisco headquarters of Anthropic, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) research lab. Reichstadter, who subsisted solely on water, electrolytes, and vitamins during the protest, framed his action as a demand for Anthropic and the broader AI industry to halt development of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and address the existential risks associated with advanced AI systems .

The protest, which began in early September, drew global attention to the growing movement of AI critics who argue that frontier labs are racing toward uncontrollable superintelligence. Reichstadter's demands included immediate cessation of AGI development, public accountability from Anthropic, and a coordinated pause in AI research across the industry. His campaign echoed warnings from AI safety experts, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who has previously acknowledged a 25% risk of AI causing catastrophic harm . Despite the protest's intensity, neither Anthropic nor Google, which owns DeepMind, issued public statements addressing the hunger strike .

Reichstadter's action was part of a broader wave of demonstrations. Parallel hunger strikes emerged in London and Bengaluru, with activists like Michael Trazzi and Denys Sheremet fasting outside DeepMind's headquarters and livestreaming their efforts. Trazzi ended his 18-day fast in early October due to health concerns, while Sheremet concluded his strike after 16 days . Reichstadter remained the sole visible protester until his final day, with journalists and passersby documenting his daily presence as a symbol of the movement's urgency .

The hunger strike underscored a deepening divide between AI developers and critics. While Anthropic, OpenAI, and DeepMind emphasize safety research, Reichstadter accused the industry of hypocrisy, arguing that "no AI company can safely pursue AGI" . This tension reflects broader debates within the AI community, with figures like Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio publicly warning of extinction risks, while companies continue advancing human-level AI systems .

Reichstadter's decision to end his fast followed a strategic calculus: hunger strikes, while impactful, risk losing potency if prolonged or medicalized. Social media responses to his protest were largely supportive, amplifying the movement's visibility. Reichstadter, however, emphasized that his campaign for AI governance would continue, stating, "My fast may be over, but my fight for transparency and accountability is not" .

The incident highlights the growing urgency of AI safety discourse, with activists increasingly adopting high-stakes tactics to challenge the status quo. As AI labs race to develop AGI, the balance between innovation and risk mitigation remains a contentious global priority .

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