FULL STORY

Who's Behind the AI Safety Backlash?

An exposé revealed a PR firm orchestrated a former Anthropic researcher's doomer campaign, sparking questions over a16z funding and industry money driving the AI safety backlash.

2026-09-25 ~ 2026-09-27 · 3 episodes · 24 posts

Episode 1 · Ex-Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon allegedly backed by doomer PR firm (2026-09-25, 15 posts)

On Sept 25, PirateWires published an investigation claiming that former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon had been working with PR firm DEY. (DEY. Ideas + Influence), which represents prominent AI doomers including Eliezer Yudkowsky, while publicly denying any third-party involvement. Citing two sources and an email, the report alleges Coxon lied on camera; the story spread via NY Post and ignited an online firestorm.

Confirmed

  • PirateWires published the report; accounts including beffjezos, Kyrannio, soleio, Polymarket, AIFlowML and StewartalsopIII relayed the same sourcing, and petetrainor's NY Post repost confirmed the firm's full name as DEY. Ideas + Influence
  • The report's key contrast is a Fox News interview: host Bret Baier asked whether Coxon's whistleblowing involved third parties; Coxon said it was entirely personal concern based on his own experiences, while the report claims DEY. was arranging his podcast appearances and allegedly booking interviews for MIRI founder Nate Soares
  • OpenAI researcher Susan Zhang publicly quipped that for AI doomers a PR firm hardly counts as a "third party"
  • e/acc figure beffjezos called it proof of a "regulatory psyop"; AIFlowML commented it was "standard SF practice"; brianchau57 suggested reading it alongside his older essay "The Worst Are Full Of Passionate Intensity"

Unconfirmed

  • The specifics of the Coxon–DEY. relationship rest on unnamed sources cited by PirateWires, with no direct response from the parties or independent documents

Why it matters

  • The leak lands amid the bitter e/acc vs. AI-safety divide; e/acc figures frame it as hard evidence of coordinated influence ops, likely escalating the feud
  • If true, it undermines the independence narrative of public AI-safety figures; if false, it illustrates e/acc tactics of using media leaks to attack opponents

Episode 2 · Debate erupts over whether a16z secretly funded whistleblower PR (2026-09-25, 3 posts)

Journalist Taylor Lorenz clashed with developers over MIRI's Nate Soares hiring a PR firm to amplify his whistleblower claims, questioning whether a16z secretly funded the effort without disclosure.

Episode 3 · Model Republic's Tyler Johnston Investigates Who Funds the AI Safety Backlash (2026-09-26, 6 posts)

Tyler Johnston of Model Republic published "Who is behind the AI safety backlash?", investigating the sudden and intense backlash against the AI safety community that followed a viral resignation event. After numerous X accounts claimed that people worried about AI were pawns in a psychological operation funded by powerful interest groups, Johnston says he followed the money and published his findings, identifying industry funding behind the campaign; per @JacquesThibs, the effort reportedly involves roughly $100M in organized funding. The investigation spread quickly: a16z partner Martin Casado responded to the thread, and former OpenAI policy lead Miles Brundage helped amplify it.

Confirmed

  • Model Republic published Johnston's investigation on 09-26/09-27
  • Core finding: the backlash was sudden, coordinated in appearance, and supported by industry funding
  • Martin Casado quoted the thread in response; Miles Brundage shared the investigation

Unconfirmed

  • The identity of the "$100M organization" and funding details come only via secondhand accounts; the full evidence chain in the primary article awaits verification

Why it matters

  • The story touches the information ecosystem of the AI safety debate: if industry money is systematically amplifying anti-safety narratives, it could undermine public and policy trust in AI risk discussions, and it highlights the split within Silicon Valley between players like a16z and the AI safety community.