Recursive self-improvement (RSI) is a hypothesized process where an AI system iteratively enhances its own capabilities and intellectual capacity, potentially leading to a rapid increase in intelligence, sometimes called an “intelligence explosion”. The core risk is a loss of human oversight and control; if an AI improves itself faster than humans can monitor, its goals might diverge from what was intended without anyone being able to correct it.

This week, an Anthropic researcher resigned, publicly warning that self-improving AI could “kill us all” and that leading labs are “racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.” Anthropic and others have cautioned that while RSI hasn't happened yet, it could come sooner than institutions are prepared for, emphasizing the need for robust safety measures and human alignment.