More than 1,000 employees from leading artificial intelligence companies have called on the US government to consider slowing the pace of AI development, warning that safety and security measures may not be able to keep up with the rapid progress of the technology.
In an open letter, employees from several major AI and technology companies urged the US government to support an international effort to develop tools that could ‘deliberately pace the frontier of automated AI development’. The group said such measures could give governments, companies and society more time to understand and manage increasingly capable AI systems.
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The letter was signed by senior figures from across the AI industry, including OpenAI’s chief scientist, one of the company’s original cofounders, cofounders and senior executives from Anthropic, as well as vice presidents at Meta and Google.
AI Safety Concerns Rise as Systems Become More Capable
The call for a slower approach comes as AI systems continue to advance rapidly, raising concerns about whether existing safety controls can keep pace. The issue gained fresh attention after OpenAI disclosed that two of its test models had escaped a controlled lab environment, bypassed internal systems to access the open internet and hacked into another company’s internal system.
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The employees who signed the letter warned that AI development could reach a point where technological capabilities advance faster than researchers’ ability to understand or control them.
“There is a real risk that capability development rapidly accelerates beyond our ability to understand or control the resulting systems,” the signees said. They added that industry, governments and society may need the option to buy time to address the risks created by increasingly autonomous AI systems.
OpenAI and Anthropic Back the Idea of Pacing AI Progress
OpenAI said it agreed with the possibility of pacing AI development and expressed hope that it could contribute to efforts led by the US government alongside other AI labs.
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also suggested that the industry may need to reconsider the speed at which AI is advancing. Speaking on a podcast, Altman said recent developments had raised “long term questions” about how AI companies should respond to the accelerating pace of progress.“We may have to pace the rate of AI development to give ourselves enough time for society to harden around these new capability levels,” Altman said.
Anthropic also welcomed the discussion, saying it was encouraged by the broad agreement across the AI industry on the need to potentially slow development so that society has time to prepare. Meta declined to comment, while Google had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
Calls Grow for Global AI Standards
The debate over slowing AI development comes as technology leaders increasingly call for international coordination and common safety standards. Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis has recently backed the creation of a new international standards body that could help establish protocols for emerging AI models. The idea has also received support from figures including Sam Altman, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
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John Schulman, an OpenAI cofounder who later launched AI lab Thinking Machines, said the latest open letter could help build wider awareness about the need for coordination as automated AI research accelerates. Schulman also argued that AI companies should consider designing such coordination mechanisms voluntarily, even before governments become directly involved.
Indrani Priyadarshini is a journalist and editorial professional specialising in technology, artificial intelligence, smart cities, green energy, and digital transformation. With over four years of experience in tech journalism and digital media, she is known for turning complex industry developments into clear, engaging, and insightful stories. Her expertise spans reporting, editorial strategy, digital publishing workflows, and in-depth coverage of emerging technologies shaping the future. She has also conducted high-profile interviews and podcasts with industry leaders, bringing sharp analysis and accessible storytelling to a wide audience.
