“I have guns, gold, potassium iodide, antibiotics, batteries, water, and a big patch of land in Big Sur I can fly to.”

He described himself and Peter Thiel as part of a “survivalist” club.

(This was before the ChatGPT boom.)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5752829&forum_id=2#49117771)

Known Preparations: Sam Altman is the most cited example of an AI leader who actively prepares for doomsday scenarios. In a 2016 interview, he confirmed he has a "go-bag" with guns, gold, potassium iodide, batteries, water, gas masks, and a large plot of land in Big Sur he can fly to.

Stated Concerns: Altman's preparations are not solely linked to a rogue AI. He has specifically mentioned concerns about a "lethal synthetic virus," an AI that could attack humanity, or a resource war between nuclear-armed states.

New Zealand Arrangement: He also revealed a pact with fellow tech billionaire Peter Thiel to fly to Thiel's properties in New Zealand in the event of a societal collapse.

Ilya Sutskever (Co-founder and former Chief Scientist of OpenAI)

Proposed a Bunker for Researchers: In the summer of 2023, Sutskever reportedly told core employees, "We're definitely going to build a bunker before we release AGI".

Motivation: The proposed bunker was intended to protect OpenAI's key scientists from the potential chaos and violent upheavals that could follow the release of a true Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) that surpasses human cognitive abilities.

Other AI Leaders and the Broader Tech Trend

No Public Bunkers for Some: There are no public reports or statements confirming that leaders like Dario Amodei of Anthropic or Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind have personal doomsday bunkers. Their public focus is primarily on preventing an AI catastrophe through safety research and responsible deployment rather than personal survival.

A Prevalent Silicon Valley Mindset: The practice of "prepping" is widespread in Silicon Valley. Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, has estimated that over 50% of Silicon Valley billionaires have some form of "apocalypse insurance," such as a bunker or an escape property overseas. New Zealand is a particularly favored destination.

Diverse Motivations: The fears driving this trend are varied. While the risk of rogue AI is a concern, many tech executives also worry about societal backlash against the tech industry, civil unrest caused by AI-driven job displacement, pandemics, or environmental collapse.

Notable Preppers:

Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, famously acquired New Zealand citizenship and purchased large estates there, with plans to build a sprawling, secluded lodge seen by many as a survivalist compound.

Former Facebook executive Antonio García Martínez reportedly bought land on an island in the Pacific Northwest, equipped with generators and ammunition.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5752829&forum_id=2#49117773)