OpenAI CEO and Elon Musk support call to slow AI development

Rival technology leaders Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI, and Elon Musk have publicly supported a plea from Dario Amodei, founder and chief executive of Anthropic, to decelerate the development of advanced artificial‑intelligence systems. Amodei warned that, without constraints, an emergent “AI swarm” could become capable of commandeering the entire internet within a year, a scenario echoed by a series of safety alerts issued by AI researchers last week. The endorsement marks an uncommon display of consensus among competing firms in an industry typically driven by rapid innovation and competition.

The joint appeal calls for coordinated regulatory and industry measures to slow the pace of AI progress while safety protocols are strengthened. Proponents argue that such a pause would allow developers to address alignment challenges and mitigate existential risks before broader deployment. The unified stance underscores growing concern within the AI community about the potential for unchecked capabilities to outstrip current oversight mechanisms.