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Policy·P Space·Evidence-backed problem·Published 2026-07-12

AI poses ‘Hiroshima’-style threat to humanity without global rules, says Cooper

Artificial intelligence poses a “Hiroshima”-style risk to humanity if governments do not agree to curb how it is developed, the foreign secretary has warned. Yvette Cooper urged countries, including the US and China, to agree international rules for AI, telling the Guardian she believes the issue will dominate foreign policy over the next two years. In an essay covering her thoughts on everything from emerging technology to Palestine, Cooper said the world was at a dangerous moment, not least because of what she…

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AI poses ‘Hiroshima’-style threat to humanity without global rules, says Cooper
The quick read

Artificial intelligence poses a “Hiroshima”-style risk to humanity if governments do not agree to curb how it is developed, the foreign secretary has warned. Yvette Cooper urged countries, including the US and China, to agree international rules for AI, telling the Guardian she believes the issue will dominate foreign policy over the next two years.

And in a separate interview with the Guardian she spelled out her concerns over AI and the Palestine peace process in particular. We cannot afford to wait for an AI equivalent of Hiroshima before we act.” She told the Guardian: “Across the world, people are feeling the same thing, there is amazing potential here, but there is also huge risk.

Main points
  • Yvette Cooper urged countries, including the US and China, to agree international rules for AI, telling the Guardian she believes the issue will dominate foreign policy over the next two years.
  • In an essay covering her thoughts on everything from emerging technology to Palestine, Cooper said the world was at a dangerous moment, not least because of what she sees as the permanent withdrawal of the US from its role as a global arbiter.
  • And in a separate interview with the Guardian she spelled out her concerns over AI and the Palestine peace process in particular.
Problem

Artificial intelligence poses a “Hiroshima”-style risk to humanity if governments do not agree to curb how it is developed, the foreign secretary has warned.

The rundown

In an essay covering her thoughts on everything from emerging technology to Palestine, Cooper said the world was at a dangerous moment, not least because of what she sees as the permanent withdrawal of the US from its role as a global arbiter. And in a separate interview with the Guardian she spelled out her concerns over AI and the Palestine peace process in particular.

Sources

The debate