Some of the influential people urging the ban include Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak (l), ‘Godfather of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton (c) and Prince Harry (r)|Gage Skidmore; John Sears; DoD News|CC BY-SA 2.0; CC BY-SA 4.0; CC BY 2.0
Over 850 prominent figures from artificial intelligence, technology, telecommunications, and even Hollywood and royal celebrities have signed a statement calling for a halt to the development of “superintelligence.”
The term refers to an AI form that could surpass humans in nearly all cognitive functions.
Signatories to the petition include AI “godfathers” Yoshua Bengio and Geoff Hinton, tech leaders including Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, political officials, religious leaders, and even Prince Harry.
The ‘Statement on Superintelligence’ says the AI raises concerns like “national security risks and even potential human extinction.” It cited a survey showing just 5% of US adults favor continuing fast, unregulated advancement of superintelligent AI.
The move reflects a growing divide between those pushing rapid AI progress and those warning of its risks. Leaders in AI, OpenAI’s Sam Altman and xAI’s Elon Musk, have previously acknowledged potential dangers but continue to push progress in the tech.