Cerebras Systems CEO Andrew Feldman has pushed back against growing warnings about artificial intelligence posing existential risks to humanity, arguing that the technology’s potential benefits are being overshadowed by fears about its dangers.
Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, Feldman criticized the increasingly negative public narrative surrounding AI and suggested that some industry leaders should be more careful in how they discuss the technology’s future.
According to TechCrunch, Feldman was referring to concerns ranging from AI systems breaking containment to predictions by some industry figures that advanced AI could threaten humanity before the end of the decade.
Feldman argued that the discussion should also emphasize the potential benefits of AI, particularly in healthcare and scientific research.
He pointed to the possibility that advances in AI could help create a future in which cancer becomes far more treatable, saying people should hear more about the technology’s promise alongside warnings about its risks.
Cerebras, which develops specialized chips for AI computing, has a commercial interest in the technology’s continued development. TechCrunch reported that the company’s customers include OpenAI, Block, Figma, pharmaceutical company GSK and Lovable.
READ: AI chipmaker Cerebras eyes $26.62 billion IPO, positioning against Nvidia (May 4, 2026)
However, Feldman acknowledged that powerful technologies can also create risks, particularly when they fall into the hands of malicious actors.
“I don’t think there are powerful technologies that don’t come with the challenge of ‘what happens when powerful technologies are in the hands of bad people?’ I think you can’t make one and not have the other,” Feldman said during his interview at the event, according to TechCrunch.
He said the industry should recognize AI’s capabilities while ensuring that its development is accompanied by appropriate safeguards.
“I think what we have to say is that this technology is powerful,” Feldman said. “We have to be thoughtful about it. We have to regulate it reasonably.”
Data centers add to public concerns
Feldman also connected some of the growing opposition to AI with the way technology companies have approached the expansion of data centers.
The rapid growth of AI has increased demand for computing infrastructure, prompting companies to build or plan new data centers. These facilities can raise concerns among nearby residents over electricity consumption, infrastructure requirements and their effects on local communities.
Feldman acknowledged that the industry had not done enough to engage communities affected by new construction, particularly in the United States.
“As an industry, we weren’t super good for the past few years at working with local communities, particularly in the U.S.,” he said, according to TechCrunch.
He added that companies had failed to engage residents as effectively as businesses in established energy industries, including oil and gas.
Feldman contrasted the resistance to data center projects in parts of the United States with efforts in countries such as Brazil, Canada, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Mexico and Sweden to encourage companies to establish computing infrastructure.
His comments come as the AI industry faces increasing scrutiny over the resources required to support increasingly powerful models and the broader consequences of rapid technological expansion.
Efficiency remains a priority
Feldman also addressed whether improvements in AI efficiency could reduce demand for specialized computing hardware, including chips produced by Cerebras and competitors such as Nvidia.
READ: AI chip startup Cerebras files for IPO (October 2, 2024)
He argued that hardware manufacturers and AI developers should work together to improve efficiency rather than view advances in one area as a threat to the other.
“We can do our job as hardware vendors to make our compute more efficient, and then the model makers can do improved work in making their models more efficient to achieve the same goals,” he said, according to TechCrunch.
“All of this has to come together to make meaningful strides forward,” he added.
Feldman’s remarks reflect a broader debate within the technology sector over how to balance AI’s commercial and scientific opportunities with concerns about safety, accountability and the consequences of increasingly capable systems.
While some industry leaders have warned about potential catastrophic outcomes, Feldman argued that the conversation should also recognize the technology’s potential to advance medicine and other fields while supporting responsible regulation.