Global Coalition of 800 Influential Figures Call for Halt on AI Superintelligence Development

Washington: Over 800 scientists, politicians, entrepreneurs, artists, and celebrities have signed a declaration calling for a halt to the development of artificial superintelligence, a yet-to-be-reached stage of AI that could pose a threat to humanity. The declaration proposes a ban on the development of superintelligence “until there is scientific consensus that it can be achieved in a controlled and safe way and until there is public support.” The initiative, launched by the Future of Life Institute, a US-based nonprofit organization that has long warned of the risks associated with the new technology, has garnered cross-party support.

According to Ansa News Agency, the signatories include several fathers of modern AI, such as Geoffrey Hinton, winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, and Stuart Russell, professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. Representatives from the tech industry, including Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, have also joined the call, alongside political figures like Steve Bannon, former aide to US President Donald Trump, and Susan Rice, US National Security Advisor. Other notable signatories are former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, MEPs such as Brando Benifei, former rapporteur of the AI Act, Michael McNamara, and Mark©ta Gregorov¡.

The declaration further includes religious leaders like Paolo Benanti, advisor to the Pope and AI expert, and celebrities such as rapper Will.i.am, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan Markle. The consensus among these figures highlights a growing concern over the unchecked advancement of AI technologies that could one day surpass human intellectual capabilities. While AI aims to develop technology capable of equaling human intellect, superintelligence aims to surpass the intellectual capabilities of human beings.