An open letter against superintelligent AI

An open letter released Wednesday has called for a ban on the development of artificial intelligence systems considered to be “superintelligent” until there is broad scientific consensus that such technologies can be created both safely and in a manner the public supports. The statement, issued by the nonprofit Future of Life Institute, has been signed by more than 700 individuals, including Nobel laureates, technology industry veterans, policymakers, artists, and public figures such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The letter reflects deep and accelerating concerns over projects undertaken by technology giants like Google, OpenAI, and Meta Platforms that are seeking to build artificial intelligence capable of outperforming humans on virtually every cognitive task. According to the letter, such ambitions have raised fears about unemployment due to automation, loss of human control and dignity, national security risks, and the possibility of far-reaching social or existential harms. “We call for a prohibition on the development of superintelligence, not lifted before there is broad scientific consensus that it will be done safely and controllably, and strong public buy-in,” the statement reads. Signatories include AI pioneers Yoshua Bengio and Geoffrey Hinton, both recipients of the Turing Award, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, businessman Richard Branson, and actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Pentagon personnel could soon be told to participate in new training programs designed to prepare them for anticipated advancements in biotechnology and its convergence with other critical and emerging technologies, like quantum computing and AI. House lawmakers recently passed an amendment en bloc in their version of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act that would mandate the secretary of defense to set up such trainings, no later than one year after the legislation’s enactment. Biotechnology refers to a multidisciplinary field that involves the application of biological systems or the use of living organisms, like yeast and bacteria, to produce products or solve complex problems. These technologies are expected to revolutionize defense, energy, manufacturing and other sectors globally in the not-so-distant future — particularly as they are increasingly paired with and powered by AI. And while the U.S. historically has demonstrated many underlying strengths in the field, recent research suggests the government may be falling behind China, where biotechnology research efforts and investments have surged since the early 2000s. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.