Enlarge this image Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responds to a question by Nevada Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval during the third day of the National Governors Association's meeting on Saturday in Providence, R.I. Among other things, Musk warned governors that artificial intelligence poses a "fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization." Stephan Savoia/AP hide caption toggle caption "I think people should be really concerned about it," Musk said. "I keep sounding the alarm bell." It's true: For years, Musk has issued Cassandra-like cautions about the risks of artificial intelligence. In 2014, he likened AI developers to people summoning demons they think they can control. In 2015, he signed a letter warning of the risk of an AI arms race. Musk has invested in a project designed to make AI tech open-source, which he asserts will prevent it from being controlled by one company. And earlier this year, Maureen Dowd wrote a lengthy piece for Vanity Fair about Musk's "crusade to stop the A.I. apocalypse." Dowd noted that some Silicon Valley leaders — including Google co-founder Larry Page — do not share Musk's skepticism, and describe AI as a possible force for good. Critics "argue that Musk is interested less in saving the world than in buffing his brand," Dowd writes, and that his speeches on the threat of AI are part of a larger sales strategy.