London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 19, 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
Dorset Council Tests AI Tools to Streamline Local Planning Applications
UK Researchers at Kew Gardens Use AI to Speed Up Identification of Threatened Plant Species
UK Gilt Yields Ease Toward 4.8% as Inflation and Labour Market Data Weigh on Bonds
Bank of England Data Shows Resilient SME Lending Despite Economic Slowdown
UK Finance Reports Weakening Services Activity as Business Confidence Softens
UK Introduces Mandatory Internal Complaints Process Under Data Use and Access Act
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey Flags Geopolitical Uncertainty as Key Risk to Inflation Outlook
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Policymakers Signal Cautious Stance on Inflation Risks
Cornwall Clergy Raise £40,000 for Church Repairs Through Everest-Themed Charity Challenge
UK Business and Social Landscape Reflects Strain From Geopolitical and Domestic Pressures
Tensions Grow in UK Over Sikh Kirpan and Religious Symbolism in Public Debate
Energy Price Cap Increase Set to Lift UK Household Bills by 13 Percent
University of Reading Ranked 196th in QS World University Rankings
UK Maritime Archaeologists Identify 17th-Century Dutch Shipwreck Off Devon Coast
Oxford Union Islam Debate Sparks Protest From Faith Leaders in UK
UK Social Cohesion Debate Intensifies After Religious Prejudice Survey Findings
UK SME Lending Rises Despite Geopolitical Uncertainty and Cautious Outlook
Foreign Demand for UK Gilts Remains Sensitive to Global Inflation Trends
Labour Party Faces Leadership Pressure After Weak Local Election Results in UK
Transport Costs Drive Inflation Pressure as Petrol Prices Push Up UK CPI
British Chambers of Commerce Cuts Growth Forecast as Middle East Conflict Weighs on Investment
UK Economy Grows 0.6 Percent in First Quarter but Outlook Remains Weak
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75 Percent as Inflation Risks Persist
Energy Price Cap Rise Expected to Keep UK Inflation Above Target Through 2026
Health Authorities Warn of Rising Cases of Seasonal Respiratory Illnesses
BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce Advance Multi-Nation Fighter Aircraft Programme
National Archives Publish Declassified Documents on Cold War Energy Security Planning
British Retail Spending Rises Despite Continuing Cost-of-Living Pressures
Wales Launches Social Housing Pilot to Address Affordability Pressures
British Energy Companies Commit £5 Billion to Geothermal and Hydrogen Projects
Northern Ireland Debates Cross-Border Healthcare Partnership With the Republic of Ireland
UK Establishes National Artificial Intelligence Safety Centre With Leading Universities
UK Reports Decline in Small Boat Crossings After Expanding Intelligence Cooperation With France
Scottish Parliament Launches Inquiry Into Delays to Renewable Energy Projects
National Crime Agency Dismantles Alleged Multi-Million-Pound Money Laundering Network in London
Transport Strikes Disrupt Rail and Bus Services Across Northern England
United Kingdom and European Union Open New Security Dialogue on Defense and Border Cooperation
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 5% as Services Inflation Remains Elevated
UK Government Unveils Major National Health Service Reform Focused on Decentralization and Performance Funding
Government Advances New Airport Slot Rules to Ease Airline Operating Constraints
BBC Opens Flagship Science-Fiction Franchise to Competitive Production Bids
Chancellor Meets City Leaders Amid Concerns Over Gilt Market Liquidity
Rathbones Shares Fall Seventeen Percent After Regulatory Review Reveals Compliance Failings
United Kingdom Joins Group of Seven Initiative Using Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing for Cancer Research
Parliament Debates Doubling Tax Allowance for Pensioners After Major Public Petition
Measles Cases Exceed Seven Hundred in London and the West Midlands
British Military Leadership Faces Parliamentary Scrutiny After Defence Secretary's Sudden Resignation
House of Lords Begins Debate on Steel Industry Nationalisation Legislation
Parliament Advances Bill to Abolish NHS England and Create Single Patient Records
Parliament Fast-Tracks National Security Bill to Expand Powers Against Foreign Threats
×