Is Big Tech’s AI slowdown a safety pact or a cartel?

Leading figures in the artificial intelligence industry, including CEOs from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind, have recently discussed the necessity of slowing down the pace of AI development. While these industry titans frame the initiative as a safety-conscious effort to manage the risks associated with frontier models, the move has drawn significant skepticism from critics. Observers are questioning whether this collective pause is genuinely motivated by ethical concerns or if it represents a strategic move to consolidate market power. By limiting the speed of development, these companies may be effectively creating a barrier to entry for smaller competitors, leading some to characterize the agreement as a cartel rather than a safety pact. As the debate intensifies, the industry faces scrutiny over whether such coordination serves the public interest or merely protects the dominant positions of current AI leaders.