The Future of Life Institute calls for a halt to the development of "artificial superintelligence" until a scientific consensus is reached and there will be support from the population.

The Future of Life Institute, a non-profit organization in the USA, has launched an initiative calling for a halt to the development of superintelligent artificial intelligence (AI) until there is scientific consensus on building it in a controlled and safe manner, as well as support from the public. Among the over 700 signatories are prominent figures in the AI field, such as Geoffrey Hinton, Stuart Russell, and Yoshua Bengio, as well as entrepreneurs like Richard Branson and Steve Wozniak.

Most actors in the AI field aim for the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI), which would match human capabilities, and Max Tegmark, the president of the institute, emphasizes that entrepreneurs should not engage in such projects without appropriate regulations. The initiative reflects a recent letter calling for international agreements to prevent the devastating effects of AI. Although some in the industry consider these concerns exaggerated, support from political figures suggests a growing unease regarding AI, especially among the populist right.