OpenAI chief scientist argues for AI research slowdown

OpenAI Group PBC chief scientist Jakub Pachocki called for an artificial intelligence research slowdown in an essay published on Sunday.

Other prominent industry figures have expressed similar views in recent months

Pachocki argues that leading AI labs should voluntarily pace their model development efforts. According to the executive, such slowdowns should become “commonplace” until the industry develops AI safety standards. Pachocki asserts that addressing the technology’s risks will also require governments to prioritize “coordination on future AI development.”

The executive wrote that such measures are necessary for several reasons. One is that AI labs’ current safety guardrails may prove insufficient for future models. Additionally, Pachocki points out that bad actors may train AI agents with the specific goal of carrying out malicious activity. 

“A very capable agent explicitly trained and instructed to carry out nefarious acts presents a new kind of danger; it is likely to cross the scope of its operator’s intent, generalizing into potentially more extremely malicious behavior,” the executive wrote. “The boundary between misuse and autonomous misaligned actions will blur as AI gains more agency.”