Anthropic boss calls for AI slowdown after researcher’s superintelligence warning

Jacob Coxon quit the industry days earlier, saying that AI firms are ‘gambling with our lives’ in pursuit of self-improving models

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on Saturday called on artificial intelligence firms to slow down the development of the powerful technology, amid mounting worries over the risks of “superintelligent” computer systems.

His comments came a few days after AI researcher Jacob Coxon, who left OpenAI to join Anthropic, decided to leave the industry, accusing both US companies of “gambling with our lives” in the race to develop models capable of self-improvement.

“We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models. Progress will still seem fast, and we must make wise use of the time we gain,” Amodei said in a post on his personal website.

“AI brings risks, and because it is such a powerful technology, these risks are serious.”

“Not building the technology deprives humanity of benefits or simply places AI in the hands of authoritarian powers, while building it too fast is reckless. We have sought a middle way,” said Amodei, who co-founded Anthropic with his sister Daniela in 2021.

“But over the last few months, I have become convinced that fully addressing the risks requires even more prudence.”