London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jun 13, 2026

Oxford Shuts Down Elon Musk-Funded Institute Led by Controversial Philosopher Nick Bostrom: 'Death by Bureaucracy'

Oxford University closed the Future of Humanity Institute (FHI), a research organization led by philosopher Nick Bostrom, who is backed by Elon Musk.
The institute, which focused on long-termism and effective altruism, received a £1m donation from Musk in 2015 to study the threat of artificial intelligence.

Musk had also promoted Bostrom's ideas on his platform X for nearly a decade.

The closure was described by Bostrom as a result of "death by bureaucracy." Nick Bostrom, a Swedish-born philosopher known for his writings on the potential threat of AI surpassing human intelligence, ran a research center at Oxford University.

His 2014 book, "Superintelligence," made him a celebrity among tech elites, including Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Bill Gates.

Musk tweeted about the importance of the book and the potential danger of AI.

However, the center was closed, and Bostrom resigned.

The closure is a setback for the effective altruism and longtermism movements, which Bostrom has advocated for decades, but have recently faced scandals related to racism, sexual, and financial fraud.

Last year, Eliezer Yudkowsky's former colleague and fellow philosopher Nick Bostrom apologized for a decades-old email in which he made racist remarks, using the N-word and claiming that "Blacks are more stupid than whites." Bostrom, known for popularizing the theory that humanity might be living in a simulation, recently published a lengthy final report on the closure of the institute he founded, the Future of Humanity Institute, on its website.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
NHS Trust Secures Funding for AI Tool to Detect Heart Failure Earlier
Government Unveils £4.5 Billion Investment Plan for Walking and Cycling Infrastructure
Nationwide Reports UK House Prices Falling as Borrowing Costs Remain Elevated
Centre for Social Justice Says Two Million Britons Are Using Illegal Loan Sharks
UK Carmakers Warn EU Local Content Rules Could Damage British Manufacturing
UK Government Imposes Emergency Ban on Seven Potent Synthetic Opioids
Royal Navy Completes Major North Atlantic Anti-Submarine Exercise Off Norway
NHS Figures Show Nearly 3,000 Patients a Day Receiving Care in Hospital Corridors
CBI Cuts UK Growth Forecast as Middle East Tensions Drive Inflation Risks Higher
Dan Jarvis Appointed UK Defence Secretary Following Major Government Reshuffle
University College London Study Links Physical Punishment to Higher Risk of Bullying
East Midlands Railway Unveils First Refurbished Train in £60 Million Modernization Programme
RNLI Issues National Water Safety Appeal Ahead of Expected Heatwave
Climate Change Raises Subsidence Risks for Millions of Homes Across Southeast England
Manchester Advances Plans for Underground Piccadilly Station With £1 Million Funding Commitment
Anti-Immigration Violence Continues in Belfast Amid Heightened Security Concerns
UK Law Locks Great British Railways Into Public Ownership
Office for National Statistics Adopts Supermarket Checkout Data for Inflation Measurement
Applied Atomics Launches With $500 Million Space Infrastructure Order Book
BYD Plans Nationwide Rollout of Ultra-Fast EV Charging Network
UK House Prices Unexpectedly Fall in May
CBI Warns UK Growth Is Becoming Increasingly Dependent on Public Spending
Makerfield By-Election Fuels Speculation Over Labour’s Future Leadership
Britain Declines to Join EU SAFE Defence Fund
UK Unveils 2040 Emissions Target Despite Strong Political Opposition
Government Orders Full Review of Palantir’s NHS Data Contract
UK Borrowing Costs Climb as Markets Price in Further Bank of England Rate Rises
Resident Doctors Confirm Five-Day NHS Strike Across England
Violent Anti-Immigrant Riots in Belfast Spark Political and Diplomatic Tensions
United Kingdom Sees Recovery in Horizon Europe Research Funding Share to 9.3 Percent
UK Inflation Holds at 2.8 Percent as Office for Budget Responsibility Flags Persistent Price Pressures
United Kingdom Launches National Anti-Fraud Framework to Combat Rising Pension Scam Losses
United Kingdom Expands Sanctions on Israeli Groups While Funding Palestinian Authority Salaries and Gaza Mine Clearance
United Kingdom Issues Three-Month Ultimatum to Major Technology Firms Over Child Online Safety Controls
United Kingdom Government Moves Toward Blanket Social Media Ban for Children Under Sixteen
Widespread Anti-Immigration Rioting Erupts Across Belfast After Knife Attack Linked to Asylum Seeker
Farmers Warn of Crop Losses Following Months of Unseasonal Rainfall
Civil Aviation Authority Launches Review of Regional Airport Operations
Met Office Issues Heat-Health Alert Across Parts of England
National Grid Introduces New Measures to Protect Winter Energy Supply
Northern England Rail Upgrades Receive Additional Government Funding
Wales Advances Green Hydrogen Strategy to Decarbonize Heavy Industry
UK Expands Recruitment Incentives to Address Shortage of STEM Teachers
High Court Opens Door to Climate Liability Claims Against Major Industrial Emitters
Police Service of Northern Ireland Investigates Major Personnel Data Breach
Defense Ministry Overhauls Procurement System to Accelerate AUKUS Submarine Program
Net Migration Remains Above Government Expectations, New Data Shows
UK and Scottish Governments Agree Framework for Expanded North Sea Wind Development
UK Treasury Launches New Tax Incentives to Boost AI and Semiconductor Investment
Bank of England Signals Continued Caution on Interest Rate Cuts
×