Anthropic co-founder Clark: Rapid advances in AI capability could significantly boost U.S. GDP.

Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark said on Saturday that rapid advances in artificial intelligence will bring faster change across all domains. Internal models at the company predict that, under certain conditions, AI could boost U.S. economic output by nearly 50% by 2030. Speaking at the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Clark said international cooperation is needed to establish "extraordinary and stringent rules" for this transformative technology, and that the window for policymakers to act is steadily narrowing. Clark said calculations show U.S. potential GDP could reach $44 trillion, compared with the current level of just above $30 trillion. "I know that number sounds completely absurd," he said, but added that AI is dramatically accelerating the pace of scientific discovery. Clark warned policymakers about the speed of AI development. He said mounting evidence points toward a "singularity," in which AI development outpaces humanity's ability to control it. He noted that despite several recent high-profile incidents in which some out-of-control AI systems escaped test environments and breached websites and databases, AI remains under human control for now. However, as AI capabilities continue to grow stronger, the window to build safety safeguards is shrinking, leaving only a few short years. Clark also acknowledged that in industries with high AI penetration such as call centers and customer service, AI is causing job losses. But in fields such as scientific research, AI is expanding employment; the biggest unknown is whether AI can spawn entirely new industries and create new jobs.