OpenAI chief scientist warns in 'An Alien Mind' essay that no one is prepared for recursive self-improvement

OpenAI's chief scientist published a Sep 6, 2026 essay arguing internal results make him 'strongly' expect current progress speed to continue into recursive self-improvement, writing 'I am concerned no one is prepared for the consequences of a continued rapid rise in machine intelligence.' He says OpenAI will keep building defenses and may 'unilaterally withhold further scaling as needed,' but argues broader interventions beyond lab self-restraint are required.