The AI Superintelligence Slowdown

<figure> <img alt="H.A.L. style glowing red digital eye over a textured digital backdrop." data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/STK_414_5_D.png?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Remember when tech leaders would tell their employees to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-innovation-2009-10?r=US&amp;IR=T">“move fast and break things”?</a> It seemed that would be the way of AI too. But after a summer where rogue AI agents became reality, and researchers warned <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/991927/anthropic-ai-kill-all-humans">that AI could kill us all</a>, a number of leading US AI companies are publicly suggesting it’s time to pump the brakes and “pace the frontier” of bleeding-edge AI development.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/995186/is-big-techs-ai-slowdown-a-safety-pact-or-a-cartel">Their motivations are suspect</a>, but leaders at major AI companies — including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and X — are at least paying lip service to the idea of a superintelligence slowdown.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Will these AI companies actually slow down? Will anyone step in to regulate these companies like <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/995534/a-brief-history-of-ai-executives-calling-for-regulation">they claim to have wanted for years</a>? Will they manage to convince world leaders that the US must “beat China” to superintelligence and go even faster?</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Read on below for the latest updates in this AI saga.</em></p> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/podcast/996412/microsoft-ai-ceo-mustafa-suleyman-regulation-safety-anthropic-claude">Microsoft AI CEO says AI threats are real, and Anthropic is making it worse</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/996748/openai-reveals-six-more-concerning-ai-incidents-under-its-new-rules-for-reporting-safety-issues">OpenAI reveals six more “concerning” AI incidents under its new rules for reporting safety issues.</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/996211/jensen-huang-trump-state-dinner">Jensen Huang sure is getting cozy with Trump.</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/995534/a-brief-history-of-ai-executives-calling-for-regulation">A brief history of AI executives calling for regulation</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/996167/two-google-deepmind-researchers-lend-voices-to-the-ai-apocalypse">Two Google Deepmind researchers lend voices to the AI apocalypse.</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/996127/guy-getting-super-rich-off-unfettered-ai-development-says-it-doesnt-need-regulation">Guy getting super rich off unfettered AI development says it doesn’t need regulation.</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/995996/zuck-doesnt-want-to-press-pause-on-ai">Zuck doesn’t want to press pause on AI.</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/995576/obama-ai-comments">Barack Obama takes the middle way on AI.</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/995186/is-big-techs-ai-slowdown-a-safety-pact-or-a-cartel">Is Big Tech’s AI slowdown a safety pact or a cartel?</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/995141/ai-executives-politicians-safety-regulation-anthropic-dario-amodei">What execs and politicians are saying about slowing down AI development</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/994566/microsoft-humanist-ai-code-of-conduct">Microsoft says ‘people matter more than AI’ following safety concerns</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/994580/china-ai-ceos-are-fear-mongering">China: AI CEOs are “fear mongering.”</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/994562/sam-altman-lets-slow-down-without-slowing-down">Sam Altman: Let’s slow down.</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/994424/is-it-time-for-ai-companies-to-press-pause">Is it time for AI companies to press pause?</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/994337/anthropic-ceo-slow-down-ai-development">Anthropic CEO says it’s time to pump the brakes on AI</a> </li> </ul>