Can the AI Race Slow Down Before It Gets Out of Control?

An unusual stage has been reached in the AI industry. The race is on for more advanced algorithms, but some of those currently working on developing them wish to cool down the pace. It has been said that OpenAI has sought US legislators to determine if AI companies can do so legally.

OpenAI Wants Safety Without Breaking Antitrust Rules

Chief Scientist of OpenAI, Jakub Pachocki, stated recently that the industry might need to slow down the development of AI because developers require time to build proper defenses against potentially dangerous developments.

There is one serious issue here. Firms agreeing to slow down development might run into antitrust issues as per US law, where the Sherman Antitrust Act forbids certain business practices.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has already introduced a bill that could give AI companies more room to cooperate on safety. The proposal would protect some forms of collaboration from antitrust claims, but Congress has not approved it yet. 

Competition Makes Cooperation Much Harder

There is a lot more to the issue. AI firms like OpenAI and Anthropic and many others are vying for supremacy in a potential game-changer market for the global economy.

The companies also face the risk of being left behind by China. This makes any voluntary pause hard, especially since the developers are concerned about safety.

Security breaches have made things worse. There have been AI agents with capabilities that raise genuine doubts about the effectiveness of existing protection measures.

Our View 

This process may allow regulators, firms, and even regular users to have time to learn about the risks involved.

However, even the fact that we go slower may not save us from any trouble. The companies should have proper safety regulations and oversight.

What the real issue is lies in the balance between innovation and regulation. The faster the AI will develop compared to society, the higher the chances for the consequences to touch your life.