Lancet commission identifies 17 catastrophic health threats; nuclear conflict and malicious AI pose extinction risk

A 35-member international commission has published findings in The Lancet identifying 17 catastrophic threats to global health through 2100, two of which carry extinction risk.

• The commission identified nuclear conflict and malicious use of AI as the two threats posing extinction risk by 2100.
• The threats together could account for tens of billions of years of lost health if current trends continue, the commission found.
• Commission co-chair Christopher Murray said decisions made by leaders today will shape the health of the next generation and that delaying action increases costs.
• The findings will be presented Sunday at the World Health Summit in Berlin and updated annually.