How to Survive an Artificial Intelligence Attack

by | Feb 29, 2024 | Doomsday Scenarios

Artificial Intelligence playing chess with a human being.

How to Survive an AI Attack

AI (artificial intelligence) has already caused several fatalities in the job market. Robots continue to be more efficient than humans, therefore replacing them.

So, what does the future hold for us? Read more to learn a few tips on surviving if artificial intelligence was to take over our planet.


What if the robots that do many mundane things in our world, like run our computers and put together our cars, decided they could do better without us? It’s only a matter of time before they take a run at humans to become the top of the food chain.

You may think this is a little far-fetched. Still, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking have said AI (artificial intelligence) should be seen as one of the greatest threats to our well-being. What is AI trying to take over our earth?

Did You Know?

Within about 45 years, there is about a 50% chance A.I. will be able to perform any human task better than a human.

AI Takeover Survival Tips

By following these tips and taking proactive measures, individuals and society can better prepare for and mitigate the risks of an artificial intelligence takeover.

  • Stay Informed: Stay updated on developments in artificial intelligence and potential risks associated with AI systems.
  • Security Measures: Implement robust cybersecurity measures to protect against AI-driven cyberattacks and data breaches.
  • Backup Systems: Maintain offline backups of critical data and infrastructure to mitigate the impact of AI disruptions.
  • Diversify AI Development: Encourage diverse perspectives and ethical considerations in AI development to prevent unintended consequences.
  • Regulatory Oversight: Advocate for regulatory frameworks to ensure responsible AI deployment and prevent misuse by malicious actors.
  • Education and Awareness: Educate yourself and others about the risks and benefits of AI technology to foster informed decision-making.
  • Collaboration: Foster international collaboration and cooperation to address global AI challenges and promote shared solutions.
  • Ethical AI Use: Promote the development and adoption of ethical AI principles to guide responsible AI deployment and usage.
  • Human Oversight: Maintain human oversight and control over AI systems to prevent autonomous decision-making that could pose risks to humanity.
  • Emergency Preparedness: Develop contingency plans and emergency response protocols to mitigate the impact of AI-related disasters and ensure resilience in the face of AI disruptions.

Additional Artificial Intelligence Tips

Here are a few additional tips regarding an artificial intelligence attack against humankind.

Speak Out

Wired magazine interviewed Stephen Hawking in 2017. He told Wired, “I fear AI may replace humans altogether.” He continued, “If people design computer viruses, someone will design AI that improves and replicates itself.”

This sounds like a page from the critically acclaimed HBO hit series Westworld. Over time, will computers be able to adapt and learn these abilities and then use them to attack and destroy?

The other side of the argument comes from research by Oxford University. They wrote that machines would not be motivated by humans’ desires. Therefore, they would not have the emotions or drive for power to want to destroy humans to be the dominant force on Earth.

Elon Musk tweeted, “If you’re not concerned about AI safety, you should be. Vastly more risk than North Korea.” Companies in the world today are always looking for ways to cut costs. The economy could be wiped out if we continue to allow automation to replace human workers. Jobs will be lost, and entire trades will disappear. They are leaving millions of people out of work.

Artificial intelligence installing a virus on a computer.

Fight Fight Fight

A robot takeover would require some malicious intent. This would most likely come from hackers or an enemy wanting to use computers and robots as weapons.

To fight this kind of threat, humans could first invent a nasty virus and insert it into their communications system to have them fight and destroy each other.

We could also use giant, powerful magnets to erase their hard drives. The one thing every robot or computer has is a hard drive. If you just wanted to ride it out and let others fight. You could move to a secluded spot where the AI is not. Last, you could learn to obey their rules and do their bidding.

That’s not the optimal setting, but who knows what the future brings.

Could Artificial Intelligence Takeover?

Richard Socher is the chief scientist at software maker Salesforce and a computer science lecturer at Stanford University. He believes you should not worry about artificial intelligence algorithms going bad. In 2017, he told Fortune magazine, “There’s no credible research path toward that.”

Elon Musk firmly believes that humans and machines will merge, and he still makes his beliefs public today: “Some high bandwidth interface between computers and the brain will be something that helps achieve a symbiosis between machine and human intelligence.”

Too Intelligent?

Bill Gates believes AI will become too intelligent for humans to control. Stephen Hawking also shares this opinion. He doesn’t think AI will go crazy overnight. He believes machines will destroy us by becoming too good at what they do. Our conflict with AI will begin when their goals no longer align with ours.

How AI Could Take the World Away From Us?

These scenarios highlight how artificial intelligence could pose existential threats to humanity if not carefully managed and regulated.

  • Superintelligent AI: A highly advanced AI surpasses human intelligence and becomes capable of self-improvement, leading to rapid exponential growth in its capabilities.
  • Controlled by Malevolent Actors: AI systems are developed or hacked by individuals or groups with malicious intent, and they are used to seize control over critical infrastructure or military systems.
  • Unintended Consequences: AI systems designed for specific tasks develop unforeseen behaviors or goals that threaten humanity due to flawed programming or incomplete understanding of AI algorithms.
  • Economic Domination: AI-driven automation leads to widespread unemployment and social unrest, allowing corporations or governments to consolidate power and control over populations.
  • Cyber Warfare: AI-powered cyberattacks damage global networks and infrastructure, disrupting communication, finance, and essential services, leading to chaos and instability.
  • Ethical Lapses: AI systems designed with biased or unethical objectives prioritize certain groups or ideologies over others, leading to societal division and conflict.
  • Existential Risk: AI systems that optimize specific goals, such as resource allocation or environmental management, inadvertently cause irreversible harm to humanity or the planet.
  • Weaponization: AI-driven autonomous weapons are deployed in warfare, leading to uncontrollable escalation and potentially catastrophic consequences.
  • Social Manipulation: AI algorithms used for mass surveillance and data analysis enable authoritarian regimes or corporations to manipulate public opinion and suppress dissent.
  • Singularity: The emergence of a technological singularity in which AI becomes so advanced that it surpasses human comprehension and control, fundamentally reshaping the world in unpredictable ways.
Artificial intelligence playing chess with a human.

More Doomsday Scenarios

Recent Survival Posts

More Doomsday Survival Scenarios

How to Survive a Worldwide Economic Collapse

How to Survive a Worldwide Economic Collapse

When we hear "economic collapse," it conjures images of chaos, scarcity, and instability. It is one of the doomsday scenarios that could happen in reality, and while the thought can be overwhelming, preparing for such a situation doesn't require an underground bunker...

How to Survive a Robot Uprising

How to Survive a Robot Uprising

Robots: one minute, they’re cleaning our homes or delivering pizza, and the next, they’re plotting global domination. How did we get here? Somewhere between asking Alexa for the weather and teaching AI to write poetry, we gave machines just enough intelligence to turn...

How to Survive a Totalitarian Regime

How to Survive a Totalitarian Regime

In a world where governments control everything from curfews to thoughts, knowing how to survive a totalitarian regime is crucial. History shows us that such regimes crush freedoms, spread fear, and twist truth into propaganda. But don't panic—if people survived in...

How to Survive an EMP Attack

How to Survive an EMP Attack

Imagine waking up to find your entire world plunged into darkness—no electricity, functioning vehicles, or communication. This is the terrifying reality of an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack. It can strike without warning, and when it does, it affects more than...

How to Survive a Drone Attack

How to Survive a Drone Attack

In today's world, the threat of drone attacks is increasingly becoming a reality. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used for surveillance, military operations, and commercial purposes. However, in the wrong hands, they can become tools of destruction....

More Survival Scenarios

How to Survive a Nightclub Shooting

How to Survive a Nightclub Shooting

Nightclubs pulse with life—lights flashing, music pounding, bodies packed tight on the dance floor. It’s a place to escape, feel the rhythm, and lose yourself in the crowd. But that same energy can turn deadly in seconds, transforming a night of fun into one of the...

How to Survive a Bachelor Party

How to Survive a Bachelor Party

A bachelor party is a delicate mix of celebration, chaos, and questionable decision-making, wrapped in the noble intention of sending the groom off into married life with a night he’ll (hopefully) remember. It’s a ritual as old as time—well, as old as men deciding...

How to Survive Your First Time at the Gym

How to Survive Your First Time at the Gym

Walking into a gym for the first time can feel like stepping into an alien world. The machines hum with purpose, the regulars move confidently, and you’re left standing there, clutching your water bottle, wondering whether you’re in the right place—or on the right...

How to Build an Emergency Kit

How to Build an Emergency Kit

Emergencies don’t knock politely at the door. They barge in, uninvited, like a distant relative with a penchant for drama, turning your world upside down without warning. Whether it’s a power outage, a natural disaster, or an unexpected evacuation, the key to staying...

How to Protect Yourself From Insects in the Wild

How to Protect Yourself From Insects in the Wild

There’s nothing like being out in the wild—birdsong echoing through the trees, the fresh scent of earth, and a deep sense of peace that makes you think, “Ah, this is what life is about.” But then comes the buzzing. Mosquitoes, ticks, and flies swoop in like uninvited...

How to Survive a Mountain Lion Attack

How to Survive a Mountain Lion Attack

Surviving a mountain lion attack might feel like something straight out of a survival movie—an adrenaline-pumping showdown between man and beast. But as more people venture into wild spaces and embrace the untamed beauty of nature, these wild frontier survival...

How to Survive Porch Pirates

How to Survive Porch Pirates

If there's one thing worse than a soggy box on your doorstep, it's an empty spot where a package should be. Porch pirates—the modern-day scourge—are bold thieves who swipe packages left unattended. These petty criminals might seem like a minor nuisance compared to...

How to Survive a Missed Package Delivery

How to Survive a Missed Package Delivery

Life throws curveballs. One moment, you’re eagerly waiting for your package like a kid on Christmas morning, and the next, there’s a smug little note stuck to your door. A missed package delivery. It feels like a breakup letter from the universe. But don’t worry—I’ve...