The Contagion of Fear

In 2023, computer science undergraduates falsely announced a virus in a neighboring humanities lab. Students removed floppies, powered down computers, and lost work before finals. The incident prompted formal apologies and a stern warning from the facilities director that future misconduct could lead to expulsion. The author contrasts this event with claims that AI has over a 10% chance of killing all humans within a decade, citing Jacob Coxon and Evan Hubinger.