King Charles Warns AI Leaders of 'Existential Dangers' at Scottish Meeting

Britain's King Charles convened leading artificial intelligence executives at his Dumfries House estate in Scotland on Thursday, using the gathering to warn of the "existential dangers" posed by the technology and to call for safeguards before it is "too late".

The meeting brought together Nvidia founder and chief executive Jensen Huang, Google DeepMind founder and chairman Demis Hassabis, OpenAI chief financial officer Sarah Friar and Britain's Minister for Artificial Intelligence Kanishka Narayan. Paolo Benanti, an adviser to the pope who has urged governments to slow AI development, was also expected to attend.

In opening remarks, Charles acknowledged that artificial intelligence could improve and save lives, particularly in life sciences and medicine. But he noted that its creators were increasingly warning it could develop darker capacities, "perhaps even to take life".

"There seems urgency in adequately considering the existential dangers of such technologies falling into the wrong hands, and being used in potentially catastrophic ways," he told those gathered. "Surely, we need sufficient means of control before it is all too late?"

The discussion comes amid growing concern that AI safety efforts are lagging behind the development of increasingly powerful systems. Buckingham Palace said the talks would consider whether a shared set of principles could guide the future application of AI, "not merely as a driver of capability and efficiency, but as a tool that upholds human dignity and contributes to the flourishing of both people and the planet".

The debate over AI's risks has been thrust back into the spotlight after two Anthropic researchers warned that rapidly advancing technology could lead to human extinction in the not-too-distant future. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has also called for companies to slow the pace of AI development.

That stance has sparked an international debate over whether some executives have ulterior motives, such as setting rules that preserve the lead of particular companies, acting now to avoid a broader government backlash, or simply slowing spending in the race to develop AI.

In recent weeks the question of whether the industry can and should regulate itself has drawn interventions from global figures including Pope Leo XIV, Charles and US President Donald Trump.

While the meeting in Scotland is not expected to produce any binding agreements, and Charles is not known for his technological expertise, it highlights how he has used his position — first as Prince of Wales and now as king — to convene discussions on a range of global issues. In references to the risks around AI, he has also warned about the potential impact on the environment, reflecting his decades of campaigning on the natural world.