OpenAI and Anthropic's own CEOs are calling for AI development to slow down. Genuine alarm, or good PR?
Days after a researcher publicly warned AI 'could kill us all by the end of the decade,' the leaders of the two biggest AI labs are urging a slower pace — even as their companies keep racing to ship more powerful models.
What happened
Days after a former Anthropic researcher publicly resigned warning that AI ‘could kill us all by the end of the decade,’ the CEOs of Anthropic and OpenAI both called for the pace of AI development to slow down — even as their own companies keep racing to release more capable models and OpenAI delays a competing IPO.
Why people disagree
Some see this as a rare moment of honesty from industry insiders who understand the risks better than anyone, and a sign real caution is finally arriving. Others see it as convenient positioning — a way to look responsible while still shipping, and possibly to shape upcoming regulation in ways that favor the biggest labs over smaller competitors.
What's still unclear
Whether either company will actually slow down in any way that matters, or whether ‘concern’ from the top labs ends up looking very different from their day-to-day product decisions.
Sources
More takes
House-hunters say AI-staged listing photos, which fill empty rooms with furniture that isn't there, are false advertising. Useful tool, or should they be banned?
Before today's US midterms, NPR got four of five AI chatbots to list candidates to vote for after a little pushing. Should chatbots ever suggest who to vote for?
