Unlikely Alliance Forms as Tech Leaders and Public Figures Demand AI Superintelligence Moratorium

Broad Coalition Calls for AI Development Pause

A remarkable coalition of technology pioneers, political figures, religious leaders, and AI researchers has united to demand a prohibition on developing superintelligent AI systems. The Statement on Superintelligence, organized by the Future of Life Institute, represents one of the most diverse groups ever assembled around artificial intelligence regulation.

Broad Coalition Calls for AI Development Pause
Who’s Behind the Movement
The Core Demands
Notable Absences Speak Volumes
Broader Implications for AI Governance
Beyond Superintelligence: Immediate Concerns
Will This Letter Make a Difference?

Who’s Behind the Movement

The signatory list reads like a who’s who of conflicting ideologies finding common ground. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak stands alongside former Trump advisor Steve Bannon. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle join conservative talk show host Glenn Beck. Turing Award winner Yoshua Bengio and Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton—both considered “godfathers of AI”—have added their scientific credibility to the cause., according to recent developments

“This isn’t about left versus right,” said one analyst familiar with the initiative. “It’s about humanity versus unconstrained technological development. The fact that such opposing figures can agree on this suggests how serious the concerns have become.”

The Core Demands

The statement calls for a complete prohibition on superintelligence development until two key conditions are met: broad scientific consensus that such systems can be controlled safely, and strong public support for moving forward. According to FLI’s recent polling, 73% of Americans support robust AI regulation, while only 5% favor rapid, unconstrained development.

Yoshua Bengio emphasized the urgency in a press release: “Frontier AI systems could surpass most individuals across most cognitive tasks within just a few years. To safely advance toward superintelligence, we must scientifically determine how to design AI systems that are fundamentally incapable of harming people.”, according to market developments

Notable Absences Speak Volumes

Perhaps as telling as who signed the letter is who didn’t. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and Elon Musk—who signed a previous FLI letter in 2023—are all absent from this latest effort. This divergence highlights the growing split between AI developers and the broader concerned community., according to market developments

The silence from major AI lab leaders suggests either disagreement with the approach or competing priorities, given their companies‘ substantial investments in exactly the type of advanced AI systems the letter seeks to restrict.

Broader Implications for AI Governance

The statement represents a significant shift in how we discuss AI safety. Rather than focusing solely on current AI risks, it addresses the fundamental question of whether humanity should pursue superintelligent systems at all. As Anthony Aguirre, FLI co-founder, noted: “Nobody developing these AI systems has been asking humanity if this is OK. We did—and they think it’s unacceptable.”

The inclusion of religious figures like Friar Paolo Benanti, the Pope’s AI advisor, adds an ethical dimension often missing from technical discussions. This suggests recognition that AI development raises not just technical questions, but profound moral ones about humanity’s future.

Beyond Superintelligence: Immediate Concerns

While the letter focuses on future superintelligence, it’s important to recognize that current AI systems already cause significant harm. Generative AI tools are disrupting education, accelerating misinformation, and contributing to mental health crises. These present-day issues underscore why many believe we need stronger oversight now, not just for future superintelligent systems., as our earlier report

Current AI systems enable creation of nonconsensual content
Educational institutions struggle with AI-assisted cheating
Mental health professionals report AI-related crises
Misinformation spreads faster with AI amplification

Will This Letter Make a Difference?

This marks at least the third major public letter calling for AI development restrictions since ChatGPT’s 2022 debut. Previous efforts generated headlines but little concrete action. However, the extraordinary diversity of this latest coalition—spanning the political and ideological spectrum—suggests growing mainstream concern rather than just expert anxiety.

The real test will be whether this united front can translate into meaningful policy changes or if it will join previous warnings as another unheeded cautionary voice. With AI development accelerating globally, the window for establishing effective safeguards may be closing rapidly.

What makes this initiative different is its explicit call for democratic oversight of AI’s future. As the statement emphasizes, the public deserves a meaningful voice in decisions that could fundamentally reshape human society—decisions currently being made by a small number of technology companies operating with minimal regulatory supervision.