OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic: 1,200 Voices Call to Curb AI

A Collective Call to Slow Down AI

In an unprecedented move, over 1,200 employees from major tech companies such as OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Anthropic have signed a declaration calling for a slowdown in the development of artificial intelligence. This initiative, dubbed "Pacing the Frontier," was made public on July 29, 2026. It urges the United States government to equip itself with the necessary tools to orchestrate a coordinated slowdown involving both companies and nations, in order to better manage the evolution of the most advanced AI technologies.

The signatories of this declaration express growing concern over a pace of development they deem difficult to control. While they acknowledge the potential of AI to improve our future, they insist that this positive outcome is not guaranteed. Industry players believe they are close to automating AI research itself, which could allow AI systems to design and improve their successors faster than human researchers, creating a self-sustaining cycle that could escape our control.

The Need for Collective Action

The signatories emphasize that no single player in the industry can afford to slow down alone due to intense competitive pressure. They therefore call on Washington to support an international effort to establish technical tools and governance mechanisms capable of collectively regulating the development of cutting-edge AI.

An Unprecedented Initiative from AI Employees

What makes this declaration particularly noteworthy is that it comes directly from employees of the companies at the forefront of AI development. The signatories do not reject the technology itself but stress the need for coordination to avoid potential pitfalls. They remind us that collective control of AI is not a new topic, but its urgency is increasing as technological capabilities advance.

Influential Figures Among the Signatories

The list of signatories is impressive and includes influential figures from the industry. Among them are Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, Jakub Pachocki, Chief Scientist at OpenAI, Shengjia Zhao, Chief Scientist at Meta AI, and Anca Dragan, Vice President of Safety at Google. In total, 1,224 employees have added their signatures, primarily researchers and engineers, but also a few executives, indicating that concern transcends traditional rivalries among these companies.

Signatures also come from other industry players, such as Thinking Machines, xAI, Microsoft, Amazon, and Hugging Face.

Discomfort with the AI Race

The comments accompanying the declaration reveal a tone that is often grave. Some signatories describe a race deemed dangerous towards an explosion of AI capabilities, likening it to a nuclear chain reaction. They stress the need for coordination to prevent this dynamic from becoming uncontrollable. In France, the initiative has resonated with the association Pause IA, which advocates for a moratorium on the training of general AI systems.

Varied Motivations Among the Signatories

It is crucial to note that not all signatories share the same motivations. Some, like Stephanie Chan from Google, warn against the risk of decision-making power over the pace of AI being concentrated in the hands of a few large companies or states. Others, such as Dylan Moore from OpenAI, set conditions for their support, wishing for the United States to maintain its technological edge.

These diverse testimonies illustrate the extent of discomfort within the sector. Regardless of their reasons, over a thousand AI professionals agree on one point: the necessity of collectively empowering themselves to slow down if needed.