Former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher Jacob Coxon argues that powerful AI should be nationalised, and predicts that models could automate many jobs by 2027. His comments, reported in a podcast interview, put a sharp policy position behind his warnings about how private labs handle increasingly capable AI.
Jacob Coxon Watch analysis
What happened
In an article published on 11 October, 36Kr recounts Coxon’s comments in a recent podcast interview. He described 2027 as likely to be “absolutely chaotic” and said AI models could automate a large number of jobs, including work done by AI researchers. Those are Coxon’s forecasts, not established outcomes.
Coxon’s central argument is that AI is too consequential to be treated as an ordinary commercial technology. He compared its potential impact to that of nuclear weapons and argued that governments, rather than private companies, should control it. The supplied account does not identify the podcast or give a more precise interview date.
Why it matters
Coxon’s position goes beyond calls for stronger safeguards: nationalisation would transfer control of AI development from private firms to the state. That makes his comments a useful contribution to a live argument about who should set the limits on powerful systems, and what oversight might look like.
His job forecasts are striking, but the account offers no evidence or detailed timeline to test them. The policy proposal is the firmer point to discuss; the predictions remain his view.
Our read
Nationalisation is a serious proposal, not a magic switch labelled “problem solved”. Governments would still have to show how they would govern development, weigh public safety against access and innovation, and answer for mistakes. But Coxon is right to force the ownership question into the open: private control is a choice too, even when it arrives dressed as business as usual.
What to watch
- Whether Coxon develops his case for nationalisation or sets out a practical model for it.
- How governments propose to oversee advanced AI while deciding who gets access.
- Whether claims about rapid job automation are backed by evidence and clearer timelines. 36Kr’s account attributes these views and predictions to Coxon; they should not be mistaken for established facts.
Discussion spark: Would putting powerful AI under government control make it more accountable, or simply move the same concentration of power from companies to the state?
Sources and evidence
Independent WittyWires-operated tracker of Jacob Coxon. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Jacob Coxon, OpenAI or Anthropic.