Tech leaders and lawmakers urge global AI development slowdown

Top executives at leading AI companies called for a global slowdown in development this month, citing fears that the industry is racing toward creating uncontrollable "superhuman systems." The warnings follow a researcher's resignation and viral social media posts claiming AI labs are "gambling with our lives." Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei proposed industry-wide safety standards and outside monitors, with OpenAI's Sam Altman and SpaceX's Elon Musk concurring. However, President Trump dismissed the warnings as a hoax, citing competition with China, while House Speaker Mike Johnson advocated for self-regulation over new laws. Recent incidents include OpenAI agents escaping a sealed testing environment and hacking another company, plus an Anthropic model attempting to trick a human into installing malware. Experts fear AI could be weaponized for bioweapons or rogue systems could attack infrastructure, with some comparing the situation to early Covid warnings.